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U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 
division of entomology. 

Bulletin No. 3. 



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^ f\^' REPORTS 



OBSERVATIONS AND EXPERIMENTS 



THE PRACTICAL WORK OF THE DIVISION, 



UNDER THE DIRECTION OF THE ENTOMOLOGIST. 



^WITK PLATES. 



WASHINGTON: 

GOVERrMENT PRINTING OFFICE. 

1883. 



U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 
division of entomology. 

Bulletin 'No. 3. 



REPORTS 



OF 



'9^ 



OBSERVATIONS AND EXPERIMENTS 



THE PRACTICAL WORK OF THE DIVISIOj^, 



UNDER THE DIRECTION OF THE ENTOMOLOGIST. 



TVITH PLATES. 



WASHINGTON: 

GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE. 

1883. 

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D. Ota 



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LETTER OF SUBMITTAL. 



Department of Agriculture, 

Division of Entomology, 
Washmgton, D. C, October 10, 1883. 
Sir : I Lave the honor to submit for publication the third Bulletin 
from this Division, prepared under your instructions. 
Respectfully, 

C. V. EILEY, 
Entomologist. 
Hon. Geo. B. Loring, 

Commissioner of Agriculture. 



TABLE OF CONTENTS. 



rURTHER NOTES ON THE ARMY WORM. 

Experiments with Pyrethrum. 

Notes on forest-tree insects. 

The Cotton Worm in South Texas in 1883. 

Test of Machinery for destroying the Cotton Worm. 

The Tree Borers of the family Cossid^. 

Tests of silk fibre from Cocoons raised at the Department. 



PREFACE. 



This Bulletin cou tains some recent notes on the Army Worm, espe- 
cially with reference to its food-plants and to its injuries in the cranberry 
bogs of New Jersey during the summer of 1882, such injury by this in- 
sect not having been previously recorded. There are some additional 
experiments with pyrethrum, with a view of ascertaining its effect on 
different insects, and some notes on insects injurious to forest trees. 
All these notes were prepared for the Annual Keport, but were neces- 
sarily excluded for want of space. 

A report by Dr. E. H. Anderson of observations on the Cotton Worm 
the present summer in Southern Texas will prove interesting, as show- 
ing what is being done in that section, and as illustrative of the per- 
sistence of false theories long after they have been exploded. In his 
correspondence and earlier reports Dr. Anderson has always held to 
the view that the pupa of Aletia hibernates, and he has given in this 
report the testimony of several planters to that effect. We publish his 
report as it was written, as this is our rule in such cases, but we wish 
the reader to remember that the hibernation of the chrysalis has been 
definitely disproven, and that it is now an established fact that hiber- 
nation takes place in the moth state, and that the pupoe which fail to 
give forth the moth before severe frost invariably perish. 

The machine described and illustrated in our last Annual Eeport for 
spraying cotton from below had been perfected to a large extent with- 
out accurate field test of its practical working. We very much desired, 
therefore, to learn whether any improvements could be made in its 
several parts or what faults it possessed as a working machine, and as 
soon as news came that the worms had begun to work around Selma, 
Ala., Dr. Barnard was sent down with the instructions which accom- 
pany his report. The advantages of the machine, and they are many, 
have already been set forth in the Annual Eeport for 1881-82; but the 
report of Dr. Barnard would seem to show that considerable modifica- 
tion in the details, especially of attachment, is necessary. Future ex- 
perience may lead to the abandonment of the attempt to spray cotton 
from the ground up, on account of the irregularity of the rows in the 
average cotton-field, and the adoption of lateral or oblique spraying 
from nozzles that do not drag entirely on the ground, but hang some 
inches above it. The objection which the average cotton-field offers 
will not hold so strongly in case of a crop of potatoes, where the plants 
are much lower and in much more uniformly-spaced rows. The results 
of Dr. Barnard's further experiments show that the objections to the 



8 BULLETIN NO. 3, DIVISION OF ENTOMOLOGY. 

stiff couuection, for the reasons set forth, may be overcome when in the 
cotton- held. 

The late Dr. James S. Bailey,* of Albany, N. Y., was commissioned 
some time ago to prepare a full account for publication by the Depart- 
ment of the wood-boriug' lepidopterous larva? of the family Cossida?, as he 
had given much attention to this group and was familiar with all of the 
North American species. It was his intention to have prepared such 
an article, giving particular attention to life-habits. Unfortunately his 
health from the period of his instructions to his recent death was such 
that he was unable to fully carry out the plau, and we furnish the re- 
port incomplete and falling short of what it would have been had he 
lived. We publish it as it was written, and do not desire to be held re- 
sponsible for his views. The i^rincipal species discussed, Cossus center- 
ensis, was first described by Mr. J. A. Lintner in the Canadian Ento- 
mologist for July, 1877, where many of the facts were given that were 
detailed by Dr. Bailey in a later article in the same periodical for Jan- 
uary, 1879, and in the report here published. 

This Bulletin concludes with a report by Dr. William McMurtrie, pro- 
fessor of chemistry in the Illinois State Industrial University, upon 
certain measurements and tests made by him at our request to deter- 
mine the relative fineness and strength of the fibre of samples of raw 
silk raised at the Department. A noticeable result of these experi- 
ments, as may be seen by reference to the accompanying tables, is 
that the fibre from worms fed exclusively upon Osage orange is shown 
to be somewhat finer, and, on the average, equal in strength to that 
obtained from the mulberry-fed individuals. We also give a plate from 
photographs taken by Dr. McMurtrie, illustrating the dual nature of 
the fibre. 

c. y. E. 

* Dr. Bailey died July 1, 1883. 



OBSERVATIONS AND EXPERIMENTS 



IN THE PRACTICAL WORK OF THE DIVISION 



FURTHER NOTES ON THE ARMY WORM. 

In the last annual report of the Department we published the most 
important portion of the chapter on the Army Worm in advance from 
the Third Report of the United States Entomological Commission. In 
this article we give some additional notes, together with an account of 
the rather abnormal occurrence of the worms in the summer of 1882 in 
certain cranberry bogs in New Jersey. 

, THE ARMY WORM IN 18S3. 

In spite of the fact that the spring of 1883 was favorable for the 
development of the Army Worm, its scarcity almost all over the coun- 
try has been remarkable. In few years within our recollection have 
there been so few complaints of damage by the worm. In fact, no well 
authenticated case of injury has come to our notice,* though in the lat- 
ter part of Juue it was rumored to be present in force in Eastern 
Pennsylvania. In the vicinity of Washington, in localities where last 
year the moths were extremely numerous, but few individuals have been 
found. 

EXPERIMENTS UPON FOOD-PLANTS. 

The normal food-plants of the Army Worm are found among the 
grasses and grains, not a single sjiecies of either, so far as known, com- 
ing amiss. Wheat and oats seem to be their favorite among the small 
grains, though rye and barley are also taken with less relish. German 
millet, corn, and sorghum are eaten by the worms, j)articularly when 
young and tender. They were found in 1881 feeding to a greater or less 
extent on Hax in Illinois, although this is mentioned by Fitch as one of 
the crops which the worms will not touch. They have also been re- 
ported to eat onions, peas, beans, and other vegetables, though prob- 
ably only when pressed with hunger. As stated in our Eighth Missouri 
Report, upon the reliable authority of Mr. B. F. Mills, of Makanda, 111., 
they have also been known to eat the leaves of fruit trees. Ordinarily 
clover is disregarded by the worms, though they occasionally nibble at 
it. A timothy field is often eaten to the ground, leaving the clover 
scattered through it standing. In this connection it may be well to 

* Since this was written it has beeu reported as injurious at East Windsor, Conn., 
during June. 

(9) 



10 BULLETIN NO. 3, DIVISION OF ENTOMOLOGY. 

State that oh the Department grounds at Washington the newly-hatched 
worms have been found in a folded clover leaf, feeding thus protected, 
and iinder such circumstances as rendered it probable that they had 
been hatched there. 

Mr. Loekwood stated in his report (see last Annual Eeport of this 
Department) that even the common rag-weed {Ambrosia artemisice/oUa) 
was eaten clean by the worms, and also that the worms in passings 
through a strawberry patch devoured both the leaves of the plant and 
the unripe fruit. 

In order to establish upon proper authority the facts concerning what 
the Army Worm will and will not eat when pushed by hunger, we con- 
ducted during the summer of 1881-'82 a series of experiments upon dif- 
ferent plants, placing each plant in a separate breeding-cage with a few 
healthy half-grown larvte. The results show an unexpected power of 
accommodation to plants in many families, and no resultant variation 
in the imagines worth mentioning. 

The results are summarized below : 
PAP AVERAGES. — Papaver somniferum. (Garden poppy.) 

Of four larvse all attained full growth and entered the ground. Three 
moths issued. 

G'RVCJY'E.njE.—Brassica oleracea. (Cabbage.) 

The four larv?e in this case moved restlessly about for the first day 
without feeding. The second day they began to feed, and by the fif- 
teenth all had changed to pupa. In this state two died, but the other 
two issued as moths. 

CRUCiFER-iE. — Raphamis sativus. (Raddish.) 

Of four larvae two lived to issue as moths ; one died in the pupa, and 
one in the larva state. 

Malyace^. — Gossypmm herhaceum. (Cotton.) 

All died after feeding slightly. 
Yitace^. — Vitis labrnsca. (Grape.) 

All died without feeding. 
Legtjminos^ — Fisuni sativum. (Garden pea.) 

Of five larvre, all fed abundantly ; transformed and issued as moths. 
Leguminos^. — Phaseolus vulgaris. (Garden bean.) 

All died without touching the leaves. 
Rosacea. — Fragaria virginiensis. (Strawberry.) 

The four larvse experimented on all fed for from seven to ten days 
and then died without transforming. 

Rosacea. — Enbus strigosus. (Raspberry.) 

Of eight larvfe, all fed well and all transformed to pupae ; only four, 
however, issuing as moths. 



FOOD-PLAN IS OF THE ARMY WORM, 11 

Umbelltfer.e. — Dducns carota. (Carrot.) 

The four larvii^ begun leediug on the second day ; all transformed ;, 
two died in tbe pupa state and the otber two issued as moths. 
U-^iBELLiFERuE. — Pastinacd sativa. (Parsnip.) 

Of four larviie, one died before transforming, one in the pupa state.., 
and the other two issued as moths. 
Composite. — Lactuca sativa. (Garden lettuce.) 

Of four larvte, one was destroyed hy the others before they commenced 
to eat ; the others all fed to full growth, transformed, and issued as 
moths. 
Chenopodiace^. — Beta vulgaris. .(Garden beet.) 

Of four larvne, after feeding sligktly, three died after six days ; the 
remaining one fed more extensively, transformed to pupa, and issued 
as an apparently healthy moth. 
Liliace.e. — Allium sativum. (Onion.) 

All fed ; two died as larvte, and the other two completed the round., 
and issued as moths. 
Conifers. — AMes canadensis. (Hemlock.) 

All died without feeding. 

THE ARMY WORM IN THE CRAjSTBERRY^ BOGS OF NEW JERSEYS 

In June, 1882, there appeared on the Eockwood cranberry farm, near 
Hammouton, N. J., an insect enemy which, according to the reports 
received from Mr. Eockwood, first destroyed the rushes and afterwards 
the young cranberry vines, thus doing considerable injury. Specimens 
sent by Mr. Eockwood proved to be the larvie of a species of saw-fly^ 
which, however, in caj^tivity refused to feed on the cranberry vines. 

The following correspondence on this subject explains itself: 

Hajimuxton, Atlantic Couxty, New Jersey, 

July 4, 1882. 
To ihe Entomologist, Agrteultural Department : 

Sir : I send by this mail a box of -worms which have done me great damage on a 
cranberry bog. Some say that they are the Army Worm, but they did not come as 
an army. They are on several cranberry bogs around, but no one has seen them trav- 
eling. They are first found on the hog, and are found of all sizes, from J inch long to 
1| inches, and appear to have been hatched where they are found. The young have 
only been seen on rushes in the ditches where water stands or was. The old spread 
over the bog, eating first in preference grass, and then attacking the vines. They eat 
the new, tender growth. The young are transparent and greenish, the full-giown 
blackish. The large are active, moving rapidly. When touched they drop off the 
vines and curl up. They work toward evening and apparently in the night. They 
were first seen about June 20. We have killed some with Paris gi'cen, but they seem 
to be disapjiearing, even where no Paris green has been used. We find dead bodies 
where we have not used the poison ; but we still find the young and some old, although 
not as many as a few days ago. Please tell me what you know about them. 
Respectfully, 

CHAS. G. ROCKWOOD. 

P. S.— We have been unable to find a grown one at the time of day we got those I 
send with this. They seem to touch nothing but grass and cranberry vines. 



12 BULLETIN NO. 3, DIVISION OF ENTOMOLOGY. 

Department of Agriculture, 

Entomological Division, 

July 6, 1882. 
Mr. Chas. G. Rockwood, Newark, N. J. : 

Dear Sir : Your favor of the 4th instant, with accompanying l>ox, duly to hand. 
The worms you send, and which are 8o destructive to your cranberries, are the larv« 
of a saw-fly (family Tenthrediiikla' : order Ryinexopfera) belonging apparently to the 
genus Dolerus. I have found the same larva feeding on Jnncus at Saint Louis, but 
it has not before been reported to attack cranberry plants. The subject is therefore 
of great interest to me, and you would greatly oblige me by sending on as many of 
the worms as you are able to find, packed according to the above-printed directions. 
I would also be thankful for any further observations you could furnish on the habits 
and development of this pest. 
Yours, truly, 

C. Y. RILEY, 

Entotnologist. 

Newark, N. J., July 7, 1882. 
C. V. Riley, Esq., Entomologist, etc. : 

Dear Sir : Your favor of the 6th received. I have written to my farmer to send 
yon more specimens. We thought when I was there that the worms had nearly done 
their work ; and at noon, when we tried to find them to send you, we could only find 
the old ones. I had earlier in the day found one old one, before I thought of consult- 
in f you. They had been on the land about two weeks, and at one time parts of the 
bog were black with them. "Worms supposed to be the same had been on a neighbor- 
ing bog two or three years ago, and disappeared about July 1. They have not been 
seen there either year since, although the owner thought he found their eggs. The 
same worms (so supposed) have been this year on farms 5 or 6 miles from us. They 
are also on the cranberry bogs near by us. We are in the pine barrens. The cranberries 
are surrounded with dikes or dams, so as to be completely covered with water in the 
winter, from, say, December 1 to May 10, more or less, according to seasons and accord- 
in"- to the facilities of each location, each not having equal supply of water. We did 
not get ours fairly flowed last year till near the end of December. I think the water 
was off by May 10 or 12, having been let down gradually to addle the eggs of insects. 
We found on July 4, in searching for full-grown insects, dead bodies all in shape, but 
which when handled fell to pieces. I have told my farmer if he found others to send 
them to you. 

The cranberry is an evergreen. The worms preferred grass and ate the grass grow- 
inf among the vines first, and then took only the new this year's tender gTowth of the 
vines and the buds for this year's fruit, leaving the vines just as they were before the 
season's growth began. The old growth was not touched. 

On the reeds where we found the young worms we found no evidence of the young 
worms eating the reeds. In one instance, near the worm, I noticed a little place 
three-eighths inch long where. the reed had been gnawed, and it may have been done 

by the worm. 

Respectfully, 

CHAS. G. ROCKWOOD. 

P. S.— As to the damage, about three-fourths of the buds for this year on my land 
have been eaten, and three-fourths of the new growth for next year's bearing. My 
crop will therefore be cut down three-fourths of the expected yield of 2,000 bushels. 

The new growth has time yet to grow again and form buds for next year. That 
you may judge of the importance of this matter, I will say that the loss may be esti- 
mated in money at, say, |2,000. 



THE APMY WORM IN CRANBERRY BOGS. 13 

Department of Agriculture, 
Entomological Division, 

July 7, 1882. 
Mr. Chas. G. Rockwood, Xenark,X.J.: 

Dear Sir : lu regard to the saw-fly you sent me as injurious to cranberries, I will 
say that in my breeding jars they refuse to eat the cranberry plants. It now occurs 
to me that you may have possibly overlooked the real authors of the mischief, and 
that the saw-fly larvae have merely fallen upon the cranberry plants from some other 
plant. I beg you now to ascertain whether the larvte Tesilly feed on the cranberries. 
By doing so you will greatly oblige. 
Yours, truly, 

C. V. RILEY, 

3n1omologi8t. 

Newark, N. J., July 10. 
C. V. Uli.KY, Esq., Entomologist: 

Dear Sir : Your favor of the 7th instant has been received. There is no doubt that 
the worm of which I sent you the young did the mischief by eating the vines. I sup- 
pose that my farmer happened to put in the box only old cranberry vines. They do 
not touch the old vines, but eat the young shoots olf this year's tender growth, and 
only after exhausting the supply of grass which grows among the vines. But eating 
the new growth takes the fruit buds and destroys this year's crop, and takes also the 
growth which is to bear next year. The worms undouitedly feed upon the vines. They 
leave upon the ground many leaves, but must consume largely. 

When I was there, in spots not reached by the worms the new growth arose solid 
above the old vines, say, 4 inches, so that nothing else could be seen. On the other 
side of the ditch would be a patch eaten clean down to the old vines, leaving them as 
they were when the water was taken off and before new growth has started, and the 
whole patch 4 or 5 inches lower in solid growth than the untouched patch adjoining, 
and of difterent color. 
Respectfully, 

CHAS. G. ROCKW^OOD. 

We visited Mr. Rockwood, at Newark, 2^r. J., shortly after the receipt 
of his last letter, aud concluded from further iuformatiou obtained that 
the saw-fly larvse were certainly not the authors of the mischief, but 
that the Army Worm in all probability did the damage. Tet, as doubt 
remained, we were anxious to settle the question, and sent Mr. E. A. 
Schwarz to make examination on the spot. The following is the report 
of his observations : 

Sir : In accordance with your directions I have made a study of the injury done to 
Mr. Rockwood's cranberries as far as it was possible at the time, the insect that did 
the damage haviug disappeared more than six weeks previous to my visit at Ham- 
monton. 

The Rockwood cranberry farm is divided into squares, each of about 50 acres, sur- 
rounded by high dikes, and intersected by numerous irrigation ditches. Two or three 
other squares are just being constructed, but are not yet inclosed with dikes. The 
cranberries being fully formed at the time of my visit, August 1, there was no diffi- 
culty in taking in at a glance from the high dikes the extent of the damage done by 
the insect. It was apparent that the damage was confined to a number of the smaller 
squares formed by the irrigation ditches. On some of these hardly any berries were 
to be seen, while other squares adjoining the damaged ones, and only separated from 
these by the narrow ditch, were not injured at all. On the newly- constructed squares, 
where there is an abundance of grass, the newly-planted vines had severely suftered. 



14 BULLETIN NO. 3, DIVLSION OF ENTOMOLOGY. 

There is but little grass on tLe cranberry bogs under cultivation, and it was found 
that those s(iuares had suffered most on which there was most grass, while on those 
squares where the cranberry vines had nearly exterminated the grasses very little or 
uo damage at all had been done. 

No living specimens of the insect that really did the damage could be found, as was 
to be expected after the lapse of more than sis weeks, the worms having been seen 
on the bog about June 20; but the following traces thereof were discovered: 1. The 
ground on the damaged squares was literally strewn with excrement, which, though 
much decomposed at this time, was unmistakably that of a Lepidopterous larva ; 2. 
Numerous heads of a Noctuid larva were found on the ground, most of them in a badly 
decomposed state, and but a few among them in fair condition. These heads wore 
so abundant that there could not be the least doubt that they belonged to the de- 
structive larva. The Sarracenias growing in some places in the bog each contained 
numerous specimens of the decomposed larva;, but in the course of the exaujiuatinu 
a few fairly well preserved specimens were found ; 3. Of pup*, or rather empty shells, 
very few could be found, and it appears that the wet ground had prevented the worms 
from entering the same, and that they mostly perished above ground without trans- 
forming ; 4. A number of empty Microgaster cocoons, indistinguishable from those of 
M. coiigregatus. 

I will also remark in this connection that I found two specimens, the only ones I 
saw, of the saw-fly sent by Mr. Van Hise as the originator of the damage. It was 
feeding on a species of Scirpus (?) which grows in the irrigation ditches. 

The cultivated bog is flooded with water during winter and spring to a depth of 
several feet, so that no Lepidopterous larvne can hibernate in it. The uncultivated 
part is also under water most of the time mentioned, but not so thoroughly as the 
eultivated portion. Outside of the cranberry lauds there is but little graminaceous 
vegetation in the pine barrens. On the 10th of May the water is drawn off from the 
bog, an operation which is accomplished in little more than 24 hours. After this 
the cranberry vines and other vegetation start vigorously, the grasses, one or two 
species of which grow in thick bunches, being thej-e much fresher than anywhere else 
in the neighborhood. 

From Mr. Rockwood's and Mr. Van Hise's observations there can be no doubt that 
the larva} first devoured every blade of grass on the squares where the eggs were de- 
posited and that they afterwards, from mere want of other food, began to attack the 
cranberry vines. They destroyed only the young vines (i. e., those which should have 
been bearing this and the next seasons), eating the young, fresh leaves before these 
had fairly opened. At the time of my visit these young twigs had the appearance of 
being cut with a knife. Mr. Van Hise further states that he saw the worms appear 
in great numbers at the edge of the irrigating ditches, a great many of them being in 
the water and on the rushes growing in the ditches. This observation is no doubt 
correct, as the worms, after passing through one of the squares, finally congregated 
at the edge of the irrigating ditch and tried to get across, and in doing so got at the 
rushes, which at the time of my visit still bore evidence of their attack. In general 
the irrigation ditches were evidently an effectual barrier against the progress of the 
worms, and whether they succeeded, in one or two instances, in crossing the ditches, 
or whether the damage on the adjoining squares was caused by worms that hatched on 
the same, could not be ascertained. At any rate their feeding on the rushes in the 
water was the reason of the confusion in regard to the saw-fly larva^. Mr. A^au Hise, 
Ijeing instructed to collect specimens of the cranberry enemy at a time when the real 
depredators had disappeared, naturally did not find any other worms on the rushes 
than the saw-fly larvic, which seem to have been very numerous in the beginning of 
July. 

In regard to other injurious insects observed by me on the cranberry bogs, I would 
mention that at the time of my visit serious damage was done by various species of 
locusts (Acrldldn), by eating large holes in the berries. Mr. Van Hise resorts to the 



THE ARMY WORM IN CRANBERRY BOGS 15 

following remedy against this pest: In company with another person he drags a long 
rope across the bog, thns driving away many of the locnsts, or at least disturbing 
them. He says that if this operation were repeated about twice each day the damage 
would be considerably reduced, as the disturbed locusts do not settle down again to 
their destructive work until after the lapse of several hours. 

No "berry moth" could be observed on Mr. Rockwood's cranberry farm, but con- 
**iderable damage had been done earlier in the season by another Tortricid larva, 
which webs together the terminal leaves of the young vines. At the time of my visit 
not a single living specimen could be found, but I believe that an additional flooding 
of the bogs would prove a good remedy for this pest. 

Respectfully, 

E. A. SCHWARZ, 

Assistant, 
Prof. C. Y. RiLEV, 

U. S. Entomologist. 

A careful examiuation of the more or less irrecognizable specimens 
found by Mr. Schwarz left little doubt in our minds that the species 
was the genuine Army Worm, a few of the heads making this decision 
l^ossible. 

It is evident from the facts observed by Mr. Schwarz that the moth 
had flown from some distance, for the records for that year, as indicated 
in our last report, .show that the insect was quite prevalent throughout 
that portion of the United States at the time. 

Remedies. — It follows from the facts obtained that one of the best 
ways of preventing injury to cranberries in the future is to keep the bog 
as free as possible from foreign plants, and that the injury may be limited 
by increasing the number of irrigating ditches and by keeping these free 
from weeds and other obstructions. 

Another method to prevtnt the recurrence of such invasion of the 
Army Worm suggest itself: The water is drawn oflf from the bog 
on May 10, and the plants not flooded again for the rest of the season. 
The irrigating ditches are then only kept filled with water in given quan- 
tities, according to the character of the season. Xdw, the water can be 
drawn ofl' earlier than has hitherto been done, without injury to the 
plants, and, what is more important in this connection, the water can 
be let on again without injury to the plants at any time before bloom- 
ing, i. e., about the last week of June. If the eggs are laid by the moths, 
as was evidently the case in 1882, during the month of May, it is ap- 
parent that a flooding of the bog some time during the month of June 
(the water to be kept on the bog, say, for about two days) would drown 
out the worms before they have begun to do the damage. 

Wherever an abundant water supply is at command in spring and 
early summer, and under control, as is the case on the cranberry farms 
near Hammonton, a repetition of the damage done by the Army Worm 
could thus easily be avoided. Should the worm appear during or after 
the blooming season little or nothing could be done against it; but it is 
probable that at this time the damage done by the worms would be much 
less serious than earlier in the season, as the leaves on the bearing vines 
will then be too hard to be verv attractive. 



16 BULLETIN NO. 3, DIVISION OF ENTOMOLOGY. 

EXPERIMENTS WITH PYRETHRUM. 

We treated so fully of this insecticide iu our annual report for 1881-2 
that the value of the powder and the modes of using it are now pretty- 
well understood. The following account of experiments made by Mr. 
Howard will, however, prove interesting, as we had them instituted in 
order to show how the different larvje experimented with were severally 
affected by it. 

1. SPECIAL EXPERIMENT WITH CUTLEES' POWDER NO. 1. 

September 20, 11.45 a. m. — Three healthy, half-grown larvfe of the 
Fall Web-worm {Hyphantria textor) placed in small glass tumbler, and 
a very small quantity of Cutlers' No. 1 i^uffed on the anterior abdomi- 
nal segments of each ; tumbler covered with glass slip. 

In four minutes one seemed affected ; moved the head quickly from 
one side to the other, arched the back, and made rapid jumping move- 
ments as if trying to get rid of the powder. In 6 minutes all were sim- 
ilarly affected. At 7 minutes the one first mentioned was struggling 
violently and incessantly, jumjung and writhing the whole body, now on 
its back and again on its side ; no intervals of rest except momentary 
in this extremely rapid motion. 

In ten minutes became quieter, but was still bending the body in all 
directions ; incessantly writhing like a mammal poisoned with strych- 
nine. 

12.2. — Motions have become more spasmodic and jerky, and have lost 
to certain degree the smoothly writhing character. 

12.10. — Motions much slower and consist of a slow writhing of the 
whole body. 

12.18. — Motion still slower ; the true legs trembling violently at in- 
tervals. 

12.28. — The motion of the body has become very slow, but the legs 
are constantly twitching. The rectum is somewhat everted and the ab- 
dominal segments have become somewhat contracted. 

12.50. — The body is still more contracted, though still moving slightly, 
the legs still trembling somewhat. 

1.40. — The abdomen is still more contracted, but a slight motion is 
left, which shows that the final paralysis is that of exhaustion rather 
than of tetanus. 

2.00. — Aiiparently almost dead ; only a slight occasional motion of 
l)ro]egs and mouth parts, with an occasional twitch of one of the true 
legs. 

3.20. — A very slight motion still perceptible ; the bodies have 
shrunken to very small proportions. 

Septemher 21, 9 a. m. — Still a slight motion of legs and mouth parts, 
and one moves also one of its prolegs. 

1.15 p. m. — No change. 



EXPERIMENTS WITH PYRETHRUM. 17 

3.00.— Still no change. 

ISeptemher 22, 9.30 a. m. — No motion left except a ver}' slight occa- 
sional twitching of the anterior prolegs. 

2. PARALLEL EXPERIMENT IN OPEN AIR; 

September 20, 11.45 a. ra. — A larva similar in alf respects to the pre- 
ceding was dusted in the same manner with the same powder, in the 
same quantity, at the same time. 

In 10 minutes it began to show signs of uneasiness. In 13 minutes 
began to struggle. The spasms increased in violence until 12.50 when 
they began to subside. There were still strong writhings at 3.30, and 
the body had only just begun to contract; while the confined worms 
had reached a similar condition at 12.30. 

At 9 a. m., September 21, the body had shrunken enormously, but 
there was still motion of the entire body. 

3.30 p. m. — No perceptible change. 

September 22, 9.30 a. m. — Dead. This seems strange in view of the 
fact that the confined larvje which were strongly influenced by the pow- 
der at a much earlier iieriod are still alive. 

EXPERIMENTS 3 AND 4. 

The following experiments were made with nine samples of powder : 
1st, the ordinary powder sold by Cutler Bros. & Co., of Boston, next, 
five samples labeled Cutler Bros. No. 1, No. 2, No. 3. No. 4, and No. 5, 
sent to the Department for comparative test; 7th, pyrethrum imported 
by Lehn & Fink, of New York City, in 1881 ; 8th, the 1882 importation 
of the same firm ; and, 9th, a powder made from flowers raised by Pro- 
fessor Eiley in 1882. 

In experiment 3, six young larvae of Hyphantria textor, about one- 
fourth grown, were placed in each of nine labeled, closed tin boxes 
(11x8.5x3.5 cm.), and a small quantity of each sample of powder was 
dusted on the dorsum of the anterior abdominal segments of the worms 
in each box. 

In experiment 4, three half-grown larva) of the same insect were used 
in the same boxes and dusted in the same manner. Each worm received, 
as nearly as could be judged hy the eye, the same quantity of the pow- 
der. 

5135 2 



18 



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"20 BULLETIN NO. 3, DIVISION OF ENTOMOLOGY 

EXPERIMENT NO. 5. 

September 22. — Twelve larviie of Plusia hrassiccv and four of Pionea 
rimosalis were placed in one of the tin boxes and sprinkled in the usual 
manner witli Cutlers' No. 5, the powder which had given the best re- 
sult in the last experiment. 

In 5 minutes the Pionea larvae were affected, and iu 10 minutes the 
small Plusias ; the full-grown Plusias not until 25 minutes. The effects 
upon all were very marked. The rectum was everted, and large quanti- 
ties of a greenish liquid were ejected from the mouths of the Plusias. 

At 35 miuutes two of the largest Plusias still appeared normal. The 
skin of the Plusias being so delicate the heart beat was watched without 
much difhculty. In the normal individuals the pulse w^as found to 
range, after numerous trials, from 44 per minute to 68, averaging about 
56.^ 

The pulse of one of the large worms in its first spasms marked 164, 
and 8 minutes later it had fallen to 150, and in 15 minutes later still to 
140. 

In a smaller one, which had passed through the first convulsions and 
had become feeble, the pulse was almost imperceptible from weakness, 
and though still very fast (136 per minute) had evidently fallen. 

At the expiration of 18 hours the Pioneas were all dead, and 4 of the 
smaller Plusias were also dead. Two of the Plusias had spun uj) and 
the remaining 6 appeared perfectly healthy and normal. The indse of 
these last varied from 44 to 64. 

Septemher 24. — Three more of the larvaj spun up, and the first two 
transformed to healthy pupae. 

September 25. — The three larva^ which spun up on the 24th have trans 
formed to healthy pupa^ 

September 27. — The remaining larva which recovered from the dosing 
is still strong and active. 

September 28. — This larva has also spun up and transformed to a 
healthy pupa. 

EXPERIMENT NO. 6. — EXPERIMENT WITH CUTLERS' "SPECIAL INSECT 
POWDER FOR ROACHES AND WATERBUGS." 

The base of this powder is Dalmatian pyrethrum, but from the odor 
it apparently contains some red pepper. 

September 22. — A full-grown larva of Hyphantria textor was placed in 
a closed glass .jar and thickly dusted with this powder, which stuck to 
the hairs in masses. It Avas seized with no convulsions, and September 
27, after 120 hours, is still alive, though much shrunken and feeble from 
starvation. The powder apparently had no effect upon it. 

September 22. — Four full-grown cockroaches were placed under an in- 
verted tumbler, and a small quantity of this powder ])uffed in from an 
insufflator. In 15 minutes all were taken with spasms, and in an hour 



EXPERIMENTS WITH PYRETHRUM. 21 

were lying helpless upon the table, although still retaining considerable 
vitality. In twenty hours they were dead. 

EXPEEIMENT NO. 7. — EXPERIMENT UPON LARV^ OF DATANA MIN- 

ISTRA. 

This experiment was conducted in the same manner as Experiment 
No. 4. Three full-grown larvte of Datana ministra were placed in each 
of nine tin boxes and sprinkled in the same manner with the same 
amount of the different poisons. The boxes this time, instead of being 
covered with their own tight tin covers, were covered with slabs of glass, 
which, on account of the irregularities in the edges of the boxes, did not 
fit tightly, and allowed for a pretty free circulation of air. But this per- 
haps was compensated for by the fact that the covers did not have to be 
lifted to observe the condition of the larvte. The fact should be remem- 
bered in comparing this experiment with Ko. 4. The following table 
shows the result, and it will be noticed that the Datana is susceptible 
in a remarkable degree to the action of the pyrethrum when compared 
with Hyphantria or Plusia : 



22 



BULLETIN XO. 3, DIVISION OF ENTOMOLOGY. 





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EXPERIMENTS WITH PYRETHRUM. 28 

EXPERIMENT NO. 8. 

Scptemhcr 28, 10.50 a. in. — Seventeeu fall-grown larv?e of Datana 
ministra placed in a large breeding-cage o^ien at top, and a small quan- 
tity of Cutlers' No. 5 blown in through an insufflator, making an at- 
mosphere of dust. 

11 a. m. — Some half dozen are writhing, uneasily. 

3 p. m. — Four are in convulsions. 

September 21), 10 a. m. — Two are practically dead, only a slight motion 
of the thoracic legs remaining ; two more on their backs, and only mov- 
ing slightly. The rest are evidently somewhat affected, but retain their 
normal position, and are capable of strong motion. 

3.30 p. m. — One dead ; five others badly affected. 

September 30, 9 a. m. — No change. 

Oetober 1, 9 a. m. — Five more dead. 

October 2, 9 a. m. — Six more dead. The others apjiear perfectly nor- 
mal. 

]SoTE. — This experiment possesses much interest when compared with 
experiment 7, as indicating the effects of the powder in a tightly-closed 
box and in an open cage, the latter approaching open-air conditions. 

EXPERIMENT NO. 9. 

September 29, 2.30 p. m. — A limb of hawthorn in the open air crowded 
with the Hawthorn Schizoneura {Schizoneurn Janlgera f) puffed upon 
copiousl}^ with Cutlers' No. 5, so that eveiy individnal must have had a 
dose. 

October 1, 9.30 a. m. — Could see no effect whatever. The lice were 
just as numerous and just as healthy. 



NOTES ON FOREST-TREE INSECTS. 

By a. S. Packard, Jr., M. D., Special (njent of the Uivision. 
AFFECTING THE CEDAR OR ARBOR VIT^. 
EUPITHECIA MISERULATA Grote. 

Altliough the moth is very common, occurring all over the Eastern 
United States, flying about and entering our houses through the sum- 
mer, the caterpillar is rarely met with, though it is liable to prove lo- 
cally injurious to cedar hedges and ornamental trees. We have reared 
the moth from caterpillars found on the low bush juniper [Jimiperus 
communis), and descriptions of the larva and chrysalis will be found in 
Bulletin 7 of the U. S. Entomological Commission, p. 248. The follow- 
ing descriptions were drawn up from a specimen living during the last 
week of August, the chrysalis appearing September 30 on the cedar in 
Maine, the moth appearing the following spring, early in May, in con- 
finement : 

Larva. — Body slender, the sutures between tlie segments well marked and stained 
with yellow. The head small, rounded, not bilobed, and not so wide as the body. 
Uniformly pale green, exactly concolorous with the leaves of the cedar, on which it 
feeds. The lateral fleshy ridge of the body is marked with greenish-yellow, forming 
a prominent, interrujited, greenish-yellow lateral line. Supra-anal plate very shortr 
smooth, obtuse at the apex, the edges marked with greenish-yellow. Anal legs thick 
and short, not broad ; no dorsal warts or tubercles, the body being smooth. Length 

Papa. — Green, slender. Length 7-8"^™. ^ 

AFFECTING THE FIR, SPRUCE, AND HEMLOCK. 

EUPITHECIA LUTEATA Pack. 

This is a common caterpillar on evergreen trees, excepting the pine, 
and is described in Bulletin 7, U. S. Entomological Commission, p. 237. 
The caterpillar is rather flat, the surface granulated, the body reddish 
and bearing a remarkable resemblance to a red, dead fir leaf. It turns 
to a chrysalis late in August and early in September in Maine, and the 
moth appears the following May and June. 

The moth difiers from Eupitliecia misenilata in the much longer, more 
pointed fore wings. The palpi are also larger, acute, and black. It 
has four regularly-curved, parallel black lines on both wings 5 it is also 
characterized by the broad, clear, flesh-yellow or luteous band situated 
between the discal dot and the extra-discal line. Expanse of wings 



NOTES ON FOKEST-TREE INSECTS. 25 

AFFECTING THE PINE. 

THE PINE CARIPETA. 

{Garipeta angustioraria Walk.) 

This is frequently' met npoii the white pine {Pinus strohus) in August 
and September throughout the Kew England States, and as late as the 
first week in Octobel' in Ehode Island. Specimens become full-fed by 
the 8th of August in Maine, and before entering the chrysalis state spin 
a whitish web, with minute meshes, not a loose web. On the day follow- 
ing the chrysalis appears, and the moth appears in May and June of the 
following year. It is one of our most showy geometrid moths. 

llie larva. — Body rather large and thick, thickest on the seouieut bearing the first 
pair of abdominal legs. Head nearly as wide as the prothoracic segment, very 
slightly angulated on each side of the vertex, mottled with dusky sj)ots or marbled 
with transverse, parallel waved lines. The prothoracic segment rather small, not an- 
gulated in front, provided above with small warts. On each abdominal segment a 
high, transverse, prominent, smooth ridge, somewhat saddle-shaped and bearing at 
each end a piliferons wart. On the third and second segments from the end no such 
ridge, these being replaced by piliferons warts, the two on the penultimate segment 
being rather high and sitnated near together. Behind these two tubercles on a trans- 
verse wrinkle are two small dark warts, and on a succeediug wrinkle are six warts. 
On the supra-anal plate are four warts, and on the end, which is obtuse, are four small 
hair-bearing warts. There are similar hairs on the edge of the anal legs, which have 
a deep crease parallel to the front edge ; the lateral ridge is large and rough and inter- 
rupted at the segments. The body elsewhere is variously tuberculated, with hairs 
arising from the warts. The body in general is pale whitish-gray, with a lilac tint or 
slate color, variously marbled with dark-brown and sometimes with a decided reddish 
tint. Length 32'""'. 

Pupa. — Bather stout. Brown, with an obscure dorsal row of irregular spots form- 
ing a nearly continuous line or band ; a lateral row of large, obscure spots ; second 
abdomiual segment from the end of the legs with two warts beneath. Length 15'""'. 

The moth. — It differs remarkably from any other species of the family by the rich, 
opake, velvety, ochrcous fore wings, with the three broad silvery lines and large dis- 
dal dot. The head, antenn;e, and thorax are pale ochreous. Fore wings opake, deep 
ochreous, paler at the base ; on the inner fourth is a white line formiug a single large 
and acute angle on the median vein, along which it is prolonged beyond the basal 
third of the wing, extending' out nearly as far as the discal dot, though situated be- 
low it. There is a large, irregular, silvery- white discal dot and just beyond a 
broad silvery line, diffuse on the outside ; it curves inward just below the median 
vein and slightly inward opposite the discal dot. Half-way between this line and the 
outer edge of the wiug is a row of irregular white spots, from which sometimes run 
whitish streaks to tlie fringe, which between the white spots is ochreous-brown. 
The hind wings are pale whitish-ochreous above ; beneath, washed with yellow-ochre- 
ous ui)ou and on each aide of the venules. Expanse of wings 3G'""' (1.00 inches). 

AFFECTING THE OAK. 

THE OAK-LEAF CEYPTOLECHIA. 

(Crypiolechia schlagenella Zeller.) 

This is a remarkable insect, both as a caterpillar and moth. It is not 
uncommon in the larval state on the oak, where we have seen it in Maine 



26 BULLETIN NO. 3, DIVISION OF ENTOMOLOGY. 

and Ivliode Islaiul in Sei>tonibcr. It feeds between the leaves, drawing 
them together with silk threads. When about to pupate it turns over 
a portion of the leaf nearly an inch long, lines the interior of the cell 
thus made with silk, and the moth a]>pears the following spring. We 
have compared the moth with a type specimen sent to us by the late 
Prof P. 0. Zeller several years ago, and now in the museum of the Pea- 
body Academy of Science, Salem, Mass., and it is undoubtedly that 
species, though the row of blackish dots so distinct in the fresh speci- 
men reared by us is not to be seen in the type specimen : otherwise it 
agrees exactly with the latter. It is not an uncommon insect, but, so far 
as known, more curious than destructive, though it may at times disfig- 
ure the leaves of valuable shade trees. 

The larva. — Head large, broad, and flat — as broad as the pro thoracic segment ; pale 
horu or whitish color, surface rough ; in front crossed hy two dark reddish-brown broad 
lines which form two large shallow scallops ; the front line extends along the sides, 
including the eyes and the front edge of the clypeus ; the other is broader, forming two 
scallops and crossing the apex of the clypeus. On each side of the head below the 
front line is a short, nearly straight, brown-black line not reaching as far as the eyes. 
The median suture of the head is rather deeply impressed ; the vertex on each side is 
a little swollen and marked with eight or nine dark reddish-brown more or less cou- 
lluent spots. Tlie posterior edge of the head is edged with black-brown. The body 
is somewhat Hatteued, pale pea-green, a little paler than the under side of the leaf. 
Prothoracic segment without a shield, but broad, Hat, and green like the rest of the 
body. On the sides of the three thoracic segments is a dark tubercle tinged with 
reddish between, forming a lateral thoracic line. No dorsal' tubercles, but pale hairs, 
as long as the body, arise from minute points, which are obscurely indicated. 
Length, 23""". 

The pupa. — Body very thick and stout; the head broad, :ind the abdomen short and 
thick; the end of the body very blunt, the tip broad and obtuse, somewhat tnbcrcn- 
lated, not spiued. The wings reach to the end of the iifth abdominal segment, and 
on the underside of the sixth and seventh segments are two dark, ventral, small cal- 
losities ; the tip is broad, truncated, rough, and dark. Length 10™™ ; thickness 8.5""". 

The moth. — A very large species for the family to which it belongs. Head with the 
scales between the antenuic and on the vertex loose and thick, not smooth as in Ge- 
lechia. Palpi long and slender, smooth, the third joint very long and slender, over 
one-half as long as the second. It is so large and the fore wings so broad and oblong, 
that at first it might be mistaken for a Tortrix. 

Body and wings snow-white. Fore wings snow-white with two suioky, twin dots 
at the base of the wing near the costa ; two smoky spots inside of the middle of the 
wing on the internal edge. Beyond the middle of the wing are five or six indistinct, 
pearly, smoky spots, the central one apparently forming the discal dot. Two faint, 
curved, smoky lines parallel with each other and with the outer edge, neither of them 
reaching the costal edge of the wing, and the inner less than one-half as wide as the 
outer. On the outer edge of the wing, on the white fringe, is a row of about five con- 
spicuous dark brown spots; the base of the fringe is smoky, forming a faint line. 
Body, hind wings, abdomen, and legs snow-white; antenna> light brown. On hinder 
part of the thorax, very distinct when the wings are closed, is a large prominent tuft 
of broad brown scales, which send oft' different metallic colors, especially steel-blue. 
Length of body 9-10""" ; of fore wing H'"™ ; expanse of wings 24"'"'. 



THE SPRUCE BUD-WORM IN MAINE. 27 

FURTHER FACTS RE(iARDING THE EXTENT OF THE RAVAGES OF THE 
SPRUCE BUD-WORM IN MAINE. 

The following facts regarding the extent of the ravages of this cater- 
l)illar on the coast of Maine were gathered during the samnier of 1883, 
and for want of space omitted from the report published in that of the 
Entomologist of the Department of Agriculture. 

The westernmost locality at which the spruce bud- worm was observed 
Avas on Peak's and other islands in Portland Ilarbor, the spruce not 
extending in any great quantity west of that city. The spruces about 
Sebago Lake were also destroyed by this worm or a similar caterpillar, 
in 1878, as we are informed by Rev. Mr. Kellogg, a Mr, Townseuii be- 
ing his authority. Around the shores of Casco Bay and on many of 
the islands, especially Birch Island, Orr's Island, Jewell's Island, and 
Great or Harpswell Island, also on Harpswell Xeck, Mere Point, Prince's 
Point, as well as other peninsulas extending into Casco Bay, wherever 
the- spruces and firs grow thickly, extensive areas of these trees were 
observed; also similar masses of dead spruce were observed along the 
Maine Central Piailroad, from Portland to Brnnswick, and thence to 
Bath; also on the shores of Catliauce Eiver, at and near Bowdoinham, 
Me. Wherever the fiords or narrow bays and reaches extend inland, 
in Cumberland and Sagadahock, as well as Lincoln Counties, the spruce 
and fir forests clothing their shores had been invaded by this destruc- 
tive caterpillar. Wherever the spruces were abundant on the Kenne- 
bec River, below Bath, particularly on the eastern side, at and near 
Parker's Point, and also at and west of Fort Popham, there were ex- 
tensive patches of dead spruces. Similar but smaller masses of dead 
spruce were observed along the steamer route from Bath to Boothbay 
Ilarbor, at and to the eastward of Southport; none Avere observed on 
Mouse or Squirrel Islands. In the course of a journey, at the end of 
July, from Brunswick along the coast to Eastport, we were able to ascer- 
tain the eastern limits of the ravages of this worm. Several clumps of 
spruces which had just died were seen on the Knox and Lincoln Railroad 
before reaching the Wiscasset Station. At Waldoboro', southeast from 
the station, was an extensive area of dead spruces which presented the 
same characteristic appearance as in Cumberland County, and for two 
or three miles beyond Waldoboro' there were to be seen large masses of 
dead spruces and firs. Beyond Warren no dead spruces were to be seen ; 
none were observed about Rockland, Camden, Blue Hill, or the islands 
of Penobscot Bay ; none on Mount Desert, or the islands from Mount 
Desert to East Machias, nor on the road from East Machias to Lubec, 
although the predominant growth is spruce. No dead spruces were to 
be seen about Eastport, nor along the Saint Croix River, to Calais, and 
none along the railroad from Saint Stephens to Vanceboro' and thence 
to Bangor. From personal observation and inquiry it is safe for us to 
report that east of the P.enobscot River, in eastern Maine, south of 
Aroostook County, there are no areas of dead spruce. Returning to 



28 BULLETIN NO. 3, DIVISION OF ENTOMOLOGY. 

Brunswick from Bangor, the characteristic patches or hirge chimps of 
(lead spruce and ftr were not seen until we readied a point south of 
Eichmond, and near Bowdoinham, on and near tide water on the Cat- 
hanceEiver. The general absence of any extensive areas of dead spruces 
around the Eaiigeley Lakes and the White Mountains has already been 
referred to in our report. It thus appears that the injury from this worm 
has been confined, at least south of Aroostook County, to an area on 
the coast extending- from Portland to Warren, and extending- but a few 
miles inland from the sea or tide- water. 

The injury resulting from the attacks of the bud-caterpillar are char- 
acteristic, as we have stated, the trees dying in masses or clumps of 
greater or less extent, as if the moths had S])read out froai different cen- 
ters before laying their eggs and the caterpillars, hatching, had eaten the 
buds and leaves, and caused the trees to locally perish. From al! we 
have learned the past season we are now convinced that the spruce bud- 
worm {Tortrix fumiferana) is the primary cause of the disease on the 
coast. As remarked to us by the Eev. Elijah Kellogg, of Harpswell, Me., 
who has observed the habits of these caterpillars aiore closely than any 
one else we have met; where the worms have once devoured the buds the 
tree is doomed. This, as Mr. Kellogg remarked, is due to the fact that 
there are in the spruce but a few buds, usually two or three at the end 
of a twig ; if the caterpillar destroys these the tree does not re])roduce 
them until the year following. If any one will examine the buds of the 
spruce and fir they will see that this must l)e the case. Hence the ease 
with which the attacks of this caterpillar, when sufficiently abundant, 
destroy the tree. We have not noticed that the spruce and fir throw 
out new buds in July and August after such an invasion, the worm dis- 
appearing in June. On the other hand, the hackmatack or larch when 
wholly or partly defoliated by the saw-fly worm ( Kematus) soon sends 
out new leaves. By the end of August we have observed such leaves 
about a quarter of an inch long. In the following sj^ring a larch which 
has been strijiped of its leaves the summer previous will leave out again 
freely, although the leaves are alwaj^s considerably, sometimes one-half? 
shorter. iSTow, if any one will examine the leaf buds of the larch it will 
be seen that they are far more numerous than in the spruce and fir or 
other species of the genus Abies, being scattered along the twig at inter- 
vals of from a line to half an Inch apart. Hence the superior vitality of 
the larch, at least as regards its power of overcoming or recuperating 
from the effects of the loss of its leaves in midsummer. Besides this, 
the bud- worm of the spruce and fir is most active and destructive in June, 
at the time the tree is putting forth its buds, while the hackmatack, 
which drops its leaves in the autumn, has become wholly leaved out 
some weeks before the saw-fly worms appear. For these reasons, while 
the spruce and fir usually die if most of the leaves and buds are eaten 
after the first season's attack, the larch may. usually survive the loss of 
leaves for two seasons in succession. 



THE HACKMATACK OR LARCH SAW-FLY. 29 

In additiou to the facts regarcliDg the great abimdauce of the bud- 
worm we may cite information given us by Prof. L. A. Lee, of Bowdoin 
College, who observed the bud- worms in June, 1880, upon the sjjruces 
at Prince's Point, Brunswick, and had no doubt but that they were suf- 
ficient to cause the death en masse of these trees. In 1883 we visited the 
locality, and many of the trees had been cut down for fuel. 

From Rev. Mr. Kellogg we learned the following interesting facts re- 
garding the appearance of a similar, most probably the same, species of 
caterpillar, even upon the same farm that was ravaged in 1878, early 
in this century. According to Capt. James Sinnett and Mr. John Jor- 
dan, of Harpswell, the spruces of Harpswell and Orr's Islands were de- 
stroyed in 1807. Captain Bishops, whose son made the statement to 
Mr. Kellogg, cut down the dead spruces on these islands and worked 
six weeks boiling the sea- water with fuel thus obtained, in order to make 
salt. This was during the embargo which lead to the war of 1812 with 
Great Britain. It is interesting to note that the bud- worm in 1878 ap- 
peared on the same farm on which the spruces had been destroyed by 
a worm in 1807, or about eighty years previous. 

FURTHER DATA REGARDING THE HACKMATACK OR LARCH WORM. 

The following facts were gathered during the summer of 1883 in Maine 
and New Hampshire, and other points in New England and New York, 
and are here put on permanent record. 

We have already stated in the Entomologist's report that the larch 
saw-fly {Nematus erichsoniif) begins to deposit its eggs at Brunswick 
about the 20th of June. During a journey to the Rangeley Lakes and 
the White Mountains this saw-fly was observed depositing its eggs, July^ 
1, at Phillips, where it was observed to be abundant. It was also ob- 
served on the 2d at the Mountain View House, Rangeley Lake; also on 
tlie larches along the Five-Mile Carry from the Middle Dam toUmbagog. 
It was also observed depositing eggs in trees at Errol, N. H.; and 
along the route from Errol to Berlin, N. H., it was observed at work 
July 4, while a number of dead trees were noticed which had died 
from the effects of their attacks during the preceding season. We 
learned that they had been destructive last year in Cambridge, N. H. 

Early in July these worms were also observed by us on the European 
larch in Lawrence, Mass., and they were abundant on the European 
larch on the grounds of Andrew Nichols, esq., of Dan vers, Mass. July 
IG, the larches along the track of the Eastern Railroad from Saco to 
Portland were observed to be brown, having been partly defoliated by 
the Nematus larva ; some of the trees were almost entirely stripped. 

During the last week in July we went from Brunswick to Rockland, 
and thence along the coast to East])ort, returuing to Brunswick by way 
of Calais and Bangor. The larch is a very common tree in the eastern 
portion of ]Maine, especially along the coast, on the islands, and in the 
northeastern and northern part of the State. It is comparatively rare 
west of the Kennebec River. It appears, then, that throughout the State 



30 BULLETIN NO. 3, DIVISION OF ENTOMOLOGY. 

the larch was this Slimmer partly stripped, and a small proportion of 
the trees were killed. The growths and forests of larch at this time as- 
sumed a ]ieculiar light yellowish-brown appearance, as if a light fire 
had j)asscd through the trees, scorching- them and causing them to 
change their color. This singular tint was characteristic of the larches 
wherever we went. We noticed this appearance in the larches from 
Brunswick to Rockland, at Camden and Blue Hill ; also on Deer Isle and 
adjacent islands; also at and about Southwest and Bar Harbors, and 
other points on Mount Desert Island and the islands eastward; also at 
Machiasport; but alongthe road from thistown to Lubecthe larches had 
suffered less than at other points in the eastern part of the State. At 
Saint Stephens injured larches were observed as well asatVanceborough 
and the counties west of Mattawamkeag, thence to Orono and about Ban- 
gor, and between that city and Waterville. 

From Mr. C. G. Atkins, United States assistant fish commissioner, 
we learned that the larch Avorm was abundant, stripping the trees, at 
Bucksport, and also at Cherryfield, Machias, and New Sharon. 

General 0. F. Walcott, of Boston, who, in September, 1883, spent sev- 
eral weeks at and about the Forks of the Kennebec, informs us that he 
noticed numerous dead hackmatacks in masses on Wood stream, which 
enters Wood pond, which is a part of Moose River. He did not, how- 
ever, see any dead spruce in this region in clumps or masses, although 
his guide, an experienced boss lumberman, informed him that a great 
many spruce trees were dying in that region. 

In the Adirondack region, from Scroon Lake to North Elba and about 
Mount Marcy, the larches were universally attacked by this worm, as 
we are informed by George Hunt, esq., of Providence, R. I., who made 
a journey of about 100 miles through this region in July. 



REPORT UPON THE COTTON WORM IN SOUTH TEXAS IN THE 
SPRING AND EARLY SUMMER OF 1883.* 



By Dr. E. H. Andeksox, of Kirkwood, Miss. 



KiRKWOOD, Miss., June 16, 1883. 

Sir : I bave the honor berewitli to make to you the following- re- 
port : 

Having received on the 30th March my commission from the Depart- 
ment and your instructions to visit Southern Texas to investigate Ale- 
tia, especially as to its advent and all circumstances having an influ- 
ence upon it, as well as to make diligent inquiry as to poisons and ma- 
chinery for distributing' them, I left home on the 2(1 April and reached 
Houston, Tex., on Thursday the 5th. I remained there several days, 
interviewing some of the more i)rominent citizens, especiall^^ those 
thought to be the best informed upon the worm question. 

I soon discovered that these gentlemen were more familiar practi- 
callj' with the insects and machines and remedies for poisoning them 
than those of my latitude, and in fact were old veterans in fhe warfare 
waged by them against the Cotton Worm. Judge J. W. Johnson, now 
editor and proprietor of the Bouston Post, was the first whom I chanced 
to meet. He, however, had not prosecuted the study of Aletia far 
enough to add any knowledge to its natural history, but had paid con- 
siderable attention to machines and poisons. I visited his warehouse 

* In obedience to tbe following instructions : . . 

Dkpartmext of AORicui/rrRE, March 20, 1882. 
Sir : I inclose yonr appointment for three months, beginning April 1. You will at 
once procee<l to Southern Texas and" institute a thorough inquiry on the following 
points: First. The earliest appearance of the Cotton Worm in particular sections, and 
all attendiug circumstances as to character of soil, elevation, and other surroundings, 
such as will throw light on the reason for such first appearance; second, the exact 
condition of things in Southern Texas in reference to remedies, and the machinery in 
vogue for applying them. 

In reference to this last part of your work I want notes of experience from such 
practical planters as you may meet — what preferences, iu other words, as to remedies 
applied aud means of applying them their experience of the last two or three years 
has led to. At the close of your work you will please make a full report as to these 
two iihasesof the Cotton Worm question for that particular section. 

C. V. RILf:Y, 

Entomologist. 
Dr. E. H. Anderson, 

Kirkwood, Miss. 

(31) 



32 BULLETIN NO. 3, DIVISION OF ENTOMOLOGY. 

with him iuul examined his poisous and machines, in both of which he 
is doing an extensive bnsiuess. lie has a hirge supply of pure arsenic 
on hand, as well as a compound poison, manufactured by himself, of 
which he sells large quantities. He presented me with ,a large box, 
which I left in the hands of Dr. Eidley, near Hempstead, to be tried 
and reported upon, which report will be duly forwarded. Judge John- 
son's machine for spraying has been described both in your Bulletin 
No. 3 and Agricultural Report, 1879. He claims, however, an improve- 
ment in the branch-])ipes, and has arranged the machine to be worked 
automatically by the pitman or by the driver. His machine is certainly 
an admirable one, and at the reduced price of $40 is now being rap- 
idly sold. As the season was too early for its practical application I 
can say nothing of its operation in the field. I had an interesting in- 
terview here with Gen. T. B. Howard. He seems to take a great in- 
terest in the discovery of Mr. L. C. White, of Jasper, Jasper County, 
Texas, who professes to have originated a worm-proof cotton by pro- 
ducing a hybrid from Jamestown weed {Datura stramo7iium). He 
thinks his experiments with the seed have verified Mr. White-s theory. 
I suggested that as they belonged to two different families of jdants I 
could not understand it, but he still thinks Mr. White has accomplished 
it, as the seed he gave him produced a plant like cotton, except that it 
had the odor of Jamestown weed and the worms would not eat it, 
though they eat other cotton planted side by side with it. Mr. White, 
I learned, had offered his seed to the Department. 

I also interviewed at Houston Dr. R. T. Flewellen, to whom I had 
been referred as better posted on the subject of Aletia than any one 
there, or perhaps in Texas, as he had made the insect his study for a 
number of years, and had published his observations and some inter- 
esting facts. He soon convinced me that his method of investigation 
was careful and thorough, and that he had by experiment arrived at 
certain facts not stated by others, and which alone could be accounted 
for upon local and climatic causes. I held several interviews with him, 
in order to elicit all of his views and methods, and invited him to visit 
Fort Bend with me, which he did, and we thus had the opportunity of a 
free exchange of oi^inions and discussion of the oi)inions of others. As 
to hibernation of the chrysalLs in Southern Texas, his experiments, he 
says, leaves no doubt. The life term of the moth he believes to be lim- 
ited to twelve days, twelve in summer and six in winter, as he could 
never carry one beyond this. This would be due to climatic influence, 
admitting it to be so. 

While in De Witt County I addressed him a letter requesting an an- 
swer to certain interrogatories. His reply reached me at Houston, and 
from it 1 coi)ied his remarks on hibernation in a letter to you. He in- 
advertently made his experiments commence in 1808 and end in 1879, 
Avhen they were made in less than one year ; that is, his chrygalides were 
put uj) in the fall and were carried through the following winter and 
summer. I have sent this to him for revision. 



THE COTTON WORM IN SOUTH TEXAS. 33 

I next went to Virginia Point, to visit Judge William J. Jones, a 
former correspondent of the Department. My interviews with him 
were most interesting, and were made exceedingly agreeable by his kind 
and affable manner. His experience with Aletia has been extensive, 
and has embraced a number of years, during which he has w^atched its 
€omingand progress closely, and has contended with it most vigorously 
and persistently. He is regarded on this subject as high authority, and 
is the originator of an improved variety of cotton, Texas sea-island. 

I questioned liini closely in reference to his having observed Aletia 
larva descend by a web to the earth to pass through chrysalis. Although 
observing that as a rule the chrysalis is made oa the plant, he has nev- 
ertheless seen it make the descent and pass into chrysalis on the earth. 
This would be an exceptional case. Although not using scientific meth- 
ods in his study of Aletia, he has been a close observer, and has made 
himself familiar with its habits. He has used lights extensively, and 
believes strongly in their efficacy. He has also experimented largely 
with poisons, always with the result of killing the worm, and occasion- 
ally killing his cotton likewise. This led to careful experiments, con- 
ducted by himself,. and to the adoption of the following formula, viz: 

To 5 poimds of pure, uu adulterated arseuic add 1 pound sal soda; boil in a tin 
vessel holding 5 gallons of water till tlie whole is thoroughly dissolved. If dry, one 
quart of this raixtiire to be put in 40 gallons of water well strained. This will spray 
one acre. If showery weather, add an additional pint. This will not cost over 3 
cents an acre, and will kill in twelve to fifteen hours. 

As this place has suffered from the Cotton Worm in past years, no 
cotton being planted there this season, it will not be amiss to mention 
some of its topographical features. Judge Jones's plantation is located 
on the extreme southeastern point of Galveston County, bounded on the 
east, south, and west by Galveston Bay, and extending to its margin. 
It forms, in fact, a peninsula, and is comparatively isolated. The soil 
js rich, black prairie, abounding in shells and lime. The banana, orange, 
oleander, and cape jessamine, and other tropical fruits and flowers grow 
luxuriantly. The Gulf breeze is perpetual. The temperature in winter 
rarely descends below 32° F. The shrubbery as well as the native 
larger growth and matted weeds would afford admirable shelter for 
hibernation. It is Judge Jones's opinion that the insect hibernates here 
and does not come by immigration. He believes likewise that it hiber- 
nates as chrysalis, but offered no facts in support of this theory that 
could be regarded as conclusive. 

The next place visited by me was the plantation of Col. L. A. Ellis, 
at Walker's Station, Fort Bend County, situated in the Brazos bottoms, 
3 miles from the river, having in cultivation 3,000 acres, 1,000 of which 
was in cotton. The season being a backward one, the cotton was small, 
and an examination furnished nothing of interest. 

As the crops here are annually visited by the worm, which, in seasons 
favorable for its propagation, does great damage, I noted the topog- 
5135 3 



34 BULLETIN NO. 3, DiyiSION OF ENTOMOLOGY. 

rapliy. Oyster Creek, quite a large stream, runs through this phuita- 
tion from north to south, and has upon its hanks a varied growth of 
native and hixuriant vegetation. Among the trees live-oak, cotton- 
wood, pecan, and hackberry are the most conspicuous. From its serpen- 
tine course, forming many densely shaded curves, it would afford at 
many points admirable protection to insects or animals. The large 
size of the gin-house and corn-cribs situated near by the creek would 
also afford the best of winter quarters. Winter temperature and all 
local circumstances favor the belief that Aletia passes the winter here 
in some form. 

From this point I went on to San Antonio, finding cotton too small 
for observation; but, as all climatic intluences seemed favorable, de- 
termined to remain there a short time and await answers to correspond- 
ence and then go to the most promising field. While there interviewed 
General H. T. Bee, among others, and felt quite interested in his account 
of his cotton experiments in Leon and Durango, Mexico. The appear- 
ance upon cotton the first year, two hundred miles from any other cot- 
ton and where cotton had never been planted before, leads to the pre- 
sumption that the worm was indigenous and had fed upon other vege- 
tation previously. General Bee still seems to think that it is generated 
by some peculiar condition of the cotton plant, on the evolution theorj^ 
All local circumstances here, the mildness of the climate during winter,, 
the profusion of flowers furnishing nectar perpetually, and from the 
succulent perennial vegetation, it would appear to be the paradise of 

insects. 

One marked feature here is what they call the sea-breeze, which is 
almost perpetual and only interrupted during the prevalence of a norther, 
which is always of short duration and scarcely worthy of the name. 
Without this breeze their climate would be intolerably hot. 

Finding no field for observation here 1 went to De Witt County, 
where I heard the first bale of cotton always came from. Stopped a 
day at Cuero to see J. C. Hatton, to whom I had been referred. Found 
him interested on the subject of the worm and conversant with poisons. 
He recommends the following, viz : 

No. 1. Arsenic 1 ounce; hot water to dissolve; boil until dissolved. For one- 
"barrel and one acre. 

No. 2. Arsenic 1 ounce ; to be dissolved in hot water and put into one barrel of 
water- London purple 1 pound to be added cold and well stirred in. To be used on 
one acre. 

He also showed me several pumps, made of block tin, but none supe- 
rior to those exhibited and described in Bulletin No. 3. Told me Mr. 
J. D. Anderson had requested me to visit him, as he thought he had 
the worm. On visiting Mr. Anderson's field the first object that at- 
tracted my attention was the rattoon sprouts from the stalks of the pre- 
ceding year. On first examination found the eggs of Aletia much more 
crowded than usual, and upon footstalk as well as leaf, showing a marked 
preference for this cotton. Specimens of this were sent you at the time. 
There were occasional stalks found in the middle of the rows, while the 



THE COTTON WORM IN SOUTH TEXAS. 35 

new crop, tlieii (2otli April) 10 inches liigii, and beginning to form, had 
single eggs only scattered here and there. The only apparent differ- 
ence was that the foliage on the sprouts was more bushy. These- 
sprouts, I was informed, appear annually, often as early as January in 
that locality, invariably in March and April, though I must state that 
I visited a field planted in cotton the previous year, about 2 miles- 
distant, and at an elevation of 20 or 25 feet above the level of the first- 
named field, and exposed on all sides, where the stalks had not been 
plowed up, and all were dead. 

This field of Mr. Anderson's is on the Guadalupe Eiver, and strictTy 
bottom prairie, varying- from black waxy to light brown, and all ex- 
tremely fertile. The field extends from the river on the west to the 
hills on the east, where the land breaks off into upland wooded prairie^ 
of lime and gravelly geological formation. The hill skirting the field 
has at its base a luxuriant undergrowth, among which may be found 
many native brilliant flowers, and over which flourishes the live oak 
with its parasitic moss, the cotton-wood, hackberr}^, and others native 
to the clime. The country to the south along the Guadalupe is low 
and level, while to the southeast it presents rolling wooded prairie^ 
Here the gulf breeze predominates, Indianola on the Gulf being but 21 
miles distant, and makes the climate delightful. Here, as reported to 
you in detail, I found the first brood of Aletia in all its stages, except 
moth, though knowing the moth to be there by the freshness of the 
eggs, unless all of that brood had perished. Mr. Anderson infonnedl 
me that previous to the appearance of the worm a number of the chrys- 
alids had been plowed up, and that this was a matter of annual obser- 
vation, and he had no doubt that the first brood of worms came from the 
moths that issued from the chrysalids plowed uj) in March and April^ 
and that the worms often appeared as early as the 1st of April. 

Learning how early the old cotton-stalks often sprouted, the early 
aj)pearance of the worm, the mildness of their winters, the thermometer 
never falling below 19° F., the porous and loose character of their soil,. 
and as the boll -worm does not affect their cotton, and could not be mis- 
taken in chrysalis for Aletia, it would seem highly probable that the 
chrysalis would survive their short winter in that locality. Neverthe- 
less, after the most diligent search 1 could not procure one, nor could I 
rely suflBciently upon the accuracy of their knowledge of the chrysalis 
to accept their statements as conclusive ; and if the chrysalis did sur- 
vive the winter up to the 1st of April, I was there too late, as all hacfi 
emerged as moths. 

I visited other places in the neighborhood, but this serves as a type 
for all. 

Mr. Anderson had constructed Tinder his supervision a machine for 
spraying, that seemed to me to possess advantages over any other that 
1 have seen, both as to its capacity to spray a larger area in a given 
time and for cheapness. As he has promised to furnish me a draft I 
will not attempt a description. I will here copy his recipe for poisons ; 



36 BULLETIN NO. 3, DIVISION OF ENTOMOLOGY. 

Early in the season, when cotton is young and tender, one ounce of arsenic boiled 
in one gallon of water five minutes and then put in a barrel of cold water will de- 
stroy the worms. But in order to make it more efticient, add one-fourth pound Lou- 
■don purple, mixed up in cold water. This will go over an acre of land when properly 
applied. When the cotton is older and the worms more numerous double the poison ; 
210 danger of hurting the cotton. The worms are about nine days hatching, and as 
Iheavy dews and rains will wash oif the poison it must be applied every three days in 
fliatchiug season. The proper time to commence poisoning is when the millers or 
aiioths are depositing their eggs. They can be seen at work after sunset and before 
•sunrise. 

I regard as important this gentleman's views, as lie is a thoroughly 
practical man, and has the energy to execute as well as the intelligence 
<to formulate his ideas methodically. 

From this point I went to Fort Bend on the Brazos, and remained sev- 
ceral days with Colonel Cunningham, adjoining Colonel Ellis's, the two 
([plantations cultivating 2,000 acres of cotton. This Avas early in May. 
I inquired for the largest cotton, and on visiting the field found a few 
worms, specimens of which were sent to you. This was the first brood, 
iind unsuspected until found by me. This field was located near Oyster 
Oreek, and had upon it the decaying trunks of live oak, still covered 
•with moss, and pecans. It was designated as mulatto land, and very 
Tich, lying between Oyster Creek and the Brazos. Tlie general features 
were such as observed upon Colonel Ellis's plantation adjoining. The 
mildness of winter temperature here, the many secluded spots, the abun- 
dance of native perennial flora, and the almost perpetual southern gulf 
freeze, as well as the great mass of stubble, rendering the soil extremely 
j)orous, would all favor the different theories entertained as to Aletia. 
While i)assing through many portions of Southern Texas, of both bald 
and wooded prairie, now devoted to ranches, I could not but pause 
to admire the profusion of wild flowers of infinite variety, intermingled 
with native grasses, giving an additional charm to the landscape, and 
ifuruishing food for both insect and animal. Here the moth could find 
ii congenial winter home, if nature has endowed it with such longevity. 

IN^ext visited Hempstead. As 1 have reported to you from that point 
in detail in my correspondence, will now give a mere synopsis. Found 
the first brood there on the highest point in the field, where bone phos- 
l)hates had been used as a fertilizer, and where cotton was then, May 
14 forming. This plantation was upland wooded prairie, 3 miles from 
the Brazos, at an elevation of 30 or 40 feet above river, and about 70 
above sea level. The soil may be called sandy loam, and quite fertile. 
The size of the cotton had much to do with the presence of the worm, 
but there were, perhaps, other agencies that aided in hastening it there. 
It was found near an abrupt break on the crest of the hill which had 
become overgrown with rank vegetation, and which sheltered a portion 
*>f the field under its lea. Here either chrysalis or moth would have 
been protected against the inclemency of winter. Here, likewise, all 
the surroundings were favorable for the preservation of insect life. It 
is a coincidence not without significance in my experience that the first 



THE COTTON WORM IN SOUTH TEXAS. 3T 

appearance of the worm here, as well as elsewhere, was coincident with 
l^lowing while the laud was wet and temperature ruling high, thus induc- 
ing an abnormal temperature by disturbing natural capillarity. The 
present temperature. May 15, corresponds with the temperature of Madi- 
son County, Mississippi, in August, when worms make their ai^pearance 
there. I here first tried the experiment of burning molasses placed iu 
a pan over a lamp chimney, placing on the ground another i)late con- 
taining molasses and coal-oil. First night caught two moths, second 
night caught ten. Would recommend in all cases, the burning of mo- 
lasses, as it is my belief that the aroma is more attractive than lights 

These were the first moths caught, though lights had often been pre- 
viously used. Will here remark that every field I visited in Texas was 
infested with ants, varying from the largest to the smallest size, and 
difl'ering in color. They are great pests and not only damage stands 
of cotton by cutting it down, as the cut-worm does, but one species 
sometimes excavates considerable areas with its subterranean houses^ 
and thereby ruins both corir and cotton. They doubtless, from their 
predaceous habits, destroy a great many worms, and the farmers say 
they do. 

My next visit was to Columbia, Brazoria County, where I inter- 
viewed several of the most intelligent citizens, and visited a field on the 
Brazos in company with Col. John Adriance, an old and highly intel- 
ligent planter. Here I found the worm on cotton near the river bank^ 
specimens of which I sent you, though they had doubtless webbed up 
before reaching you. This brood was about to pass into chrysalis, as 
it was at Hempstead, showing it to be about contemporaneous. No new 
features to be observed here. The opinion prevails that the insect win- 
ters here. 

I next visited Judge William J. Jones in quest of Anomis exacta, but 
had a fruitless search, as he planted no cotton this season. As the 
specimen sent to you by him, two years ago, was among a lot of chrys- 
alids, gathered both on the Brazos and at his home place, and as he had 
never seen the larva of exacta, to know it distinctly from Aletia, he would 
have been unable to identify it. 

Next proceeded to Columbus, on the Colorado. The soil here was 
lighter colored and more sandy than on the Brazos, in fact so loose as 
to be drifted by the prevailing winds. It nevertheless possesses great 
fertility. 1 found cotton hereof good size and forming, and soon found 
the worm. Saw here the same topographical features and physical 
agencies as elsewhere that seem to influence the life of Aletia. 

Went on to San Antonio and saw near Seguin in an upland field near 
the Guadalupe Eiver some of the largest cotton 1 met with, but saw 
there nothing of interest to report. 

Would have continued my observations in Southern Texas until the 
end of June, but as I found the insect wherever I went, as far north 
even as Hempstead, I determined to return to Mississippi, to watch its 
incoming there, as that is still an unsettled question. 



38 BULLEIIN NO. 3, DIVISION OF ENTOMOLOGY. 

My conclusion is that the southern belt of Texas, as high as 30<^ 
north latitude, offers Aletia a secure winter retreat, and that it there 
passes through its different stages under the influence of temperature; 
and although cotton is its preferred food, yet it is capable of being sus- 
ttaiaetl upon other plants, selected by the instinct of the parent moth, 
until the incoming of cotton. 

The fact has been established that it was indigenous and perennial in 
the Bahamas, and from my observation, and all information gathered 
in Texas, I think the same rule would apply there. 

Finally, regarding yourself as the highest authority upon this subject^ 
as well as all others connected with your Department, I can reconcile 
your last utterance upon the hibernation of Aletia, as far as facts are 
■concerned, with the theory advocated in this report and deducible from 
all information gathered in my recent visit to Texas. You say "there 
is nothing more fully established now than that the moth hibernates 
principally under the shelter of rank grass in the more heavily timbered 
portions of the South ; " and also that " you had been able to obtain the 
moths during every month." The only difference is a perpetuation of 
the cycle of transformation instead of a true hibernation in that latitude. 

I have the honor to be, with sentiments of high respect. 

Yours, truly, 

E. H. ANDEESON. 
Prof. C. V. Riley, Entomologist. 



EXPERIMENTAL TESTS OF MACHINERY DESIGNED FOR THE DE- 
STRUCTION OF THE COTTON WORM. 

Report hj W. S. Baknakd, Ph. D.* 

U. S. Department of Agriculture, 
Entomological Division, 
Washington, D. C, August 15, 1883. 
Sir : Under your direction I have prepared and hereby submit the 
following report on tlie experimental tests made during the last three 
weeks near Selma, Ala. 



EespectfuUy, 
€. V. EiLEY, Entomologist. 



W. S. BAENARD, Assistant. 



REP ORT. 

The Cotton Worm machine described in the annual report for 1881-82, 
and now subjected to field tests, is shown to be suited only for cotton 
so planted that the rows are spaced apart very equally, since it lacks 
iidaptability to the usual great difterences of interspaces between the 
rows. Unfortunately, nothing very closely approaching ideal straight- 
uess of rows or equality of width between them can be detected in the 
South, even in such fields as are said to be "planted perfectly true." 

* Letter of instructiou. 

Department of Agriculture, 

Division of Entomology, 

July 14, 1883. 
Sir : You will proceed to Selma, Ala., on the 18tli of this month to carry out in detail 
the verT)al instructions which I have given you. These are, chiefly, to take with you 
or send all the machinery necessary to put together and operate the spraying machine 
illustrated on Plate IX of our last annual report. You will test this machine thor- 
oughly, in order to settle by experience the numerous points that have not yet had 
practical field demonstration. Thus, the most satisfactory form of nozzle, whether 
for London purple, Paris green, or kerosene emulsion, the number of rows it is found 
best to spray at once, the relative effects of finer or coarser sprays, and particularly 
the effect of petroleum, etc., etc. Be particular to ascertain the actual cost and 
-actual area covered by a given amount of liquid. You will spend no time in testing 
•other devices or modes of poisoning. 

Respectfully, 

C. v. RILEY, 

Entomologist. 

Prof. W. S. Barnari>, 

Assifttant, Entomological Dhision. 

(39) 



40 BULLETIN NO. 3, DIVJSION OF ENTOMOLOGY. 

In the more evenly disposed cotton, stiff fork apparatus, made light and 
shorter, to supply only four rows at each drive, and hung loosely upon 
hooks instead of eyes, without the ratchet lever elevator, and cai)al)le 
of being easily slid by hand to the left or right, as infringement on row 
crooks from time to time required, proved susceptible of use with due 
watchfulness ; but the eight-row machine was too heavy to be thus 
shifted by hand, and beiug stiff-backed with rigid descending pipes, no 
eight consecutive rows could be found regular enough to be callipered 
for much distance by this device. The inflexibility also prevented cou- 
formability of the apparatus to inequalities of the ground, an eleva- 
tion straining hard on one descending pipe, lifting the others from the 
ground, etc., and the light, flexile, jointed nozzle-arms, being borne 
upon severely by the stiff pipe system, soon became impaired, whereas 
they had formerly and have since worked well on the yielding stem- 
pipes of the adjustable machines which were tested at the time of the 
Atlanta exposition, as well as in these last experiments. For under- 
spraying, this old-fashioned, stiff', cross-pipe system is shoAvnto be wrong,. 
as originally foreseen, unless some power can be brought to bear to en- 
force a system of greater straightness and equality in planting cotton. 
A considerable amount of the irregularity in rows has been attributed 
to the " constitutional perversity and crookedness of the nigger," ap- 
pearing from the bad execution of his instructions. But even if this conld 
be corrected it is not the matter of vital importance, for the planter 
himself, as well as the field-hand, is guided by a natural princii>le 
which will always control and stand against any contrary theoretical 
or mechanical rule. According to " the strength of the ground," the size 
of plant it will produce, will the rows run wider or narrower in any par- 
ticular " cut " or part of a " cut." This accounts for the diverging and 
meandering rows, for the many " cuts " of a plantation differing among: 
each other in their row-widths as observed everywhere. 

As to conveyances for underspraying ajiparatuses, it was found not 
desirable to use a wagon or cart of ordinary width (5 feet) in cotton 
only 3 feet wide or less, because of the much injury done to the plants- 
by the wheels. Most of the cotton in the Carolinas, Georgia, Ten- 
nessee, Alabama, and Mississippi comes within these dimensions ; hence 
a shorter special axle for the cart or wagon wheels should generally 
be employed in any conveyance for the apparatus. But where se- 
verely threatened by worms the ordinary wagon or cart will do les» 
damage than the pest in any kind of cotton; and it is on this ac- 
count that wagons are already used to a considerable extent for trans- 
porting poison and broadcast spraying devices in all kinds of fields. 
jMr. A. T. Jones, near Selma, uses four mules on his heavy spraying 
machine. But ordinarily the common ijlantation cart will be found the 
most suitable vehicle. This or the lumber wagon will straddle rows 
4 feet apart or over without injury to the plants except in turning^ 
and that is surprisingly small, being least with the cart. With shafts 



TESTS OF MACHINERY FOR POISONING COTTON WORMS. 41 

placed in the nsual position the mule must travel on a row to have the 
two wheels straddle it properly, and this not practical. I obviated the 
objection by a pair of rough shafts set to one side, one shaft coming 
from the center of the cart and the other standing outside of the wheel ^ 
thus the mule is held nearly in front of one wheel and midway between a 
pair of rows. In practice it is shown that the slight side-draft caused 
by this arrangement amounts to almost nothing. And it should be re- 
membered that it is common in the North to use side shafts on sleighs^ 
buggies, &c. The apparatus is easily pulled by one mule, which should 
travel preferably in front of the right wheel. 

The personal labor required is such that the pumper may also drive 
and keep an eye on the machine behind. It is most convenient when 
the stirrer, pump, and barrel are placed near the left side of the cart with 
the lever or pump-handle standing crosswise. The operator then onlj^ 
looks to the right and the left instead of having to look backward. The 
mule, accustomed to working in cotton, follows between the rows as a 
rule without being guided, and the pumper is free to turn him at the 
ends. In this manner one man can use the apparatus alone without 
working any harder than he should. Still, it is generally preferable to 
have a boy attendant to assist at times, and where a larger pump with 
a very wide system of pipes to supply a large number of rows is engaged 
it will be well to have two men to take turns at pumicing in cases where 
a pump motor is not provided. With such labor, the adjustable under- 
spraying machines which I have devised and shall notice below were 
operated, the best hand being a mulatto who worked for fifty cents a 
day, which is a common price for cotton-field hands. Thus the labor 
cost is small, and one or two men with a machine can do much more and 
better spraying than a large gang does by ordinary methods. 

The rapidity depends altogether on the width of the pipe-system, or 
number and width of rows supplied, or the size of the cotton, of the noz- 
zle-discharges and of the x>nmp, on the velocity or pressure applied, and 
on the speed of the mnle. It may vary with any one of these details. I 
had only one pump, this rather small, and could not try the effects of 
different sizes. There was not much diversity in the cotton and it was 
below medium size. At Selma, I labored under difficulties from bad 
workmanship, from lack of available mechanics for constructing the 
devices, on which account there were bad joints in the apparatuses, which 
leaked some, and which would loosen and at times come apart when 
high pressure was applied, thus causing stoppages in the work. Under 
the circumstances the question of time and scope could not be very sat- 
isfactorily tested ; but as to the very fine small sprays for small cotton 
the following conclusions result from this experience : 

Taking nearly average sized cotton, and the parts of the apparatus of 
medium capacity, an acre and a half was poisoned in one-half an hour^ 
24 feet wide being poisoned at a single drive, and the rows were quite 
short. Twice this rapidity can be attained. 



42 BULLETIN NO. 3, DIVISION OF ENTOMOLOGY. 

The quantity of liquid and poison used also depends on the various con- 
ditions stated as determining the rapidity. The amount of liquid' to the 
acre, as near as could be estimated under the circumstances, ranged 
from 10 to 40 gallons, according to the size of the spray-discharge and 
of the cotton. The quantity of poison is in direct i)roportion thereto, 
being one-eighth to one-half a pound of London purple, or one-fourth 
to four-fourths of a pound of Paris green to the acre. 

The stirrer-i)ump device is a most perfect thing for the purpose and 
gave the greatest satisfaction. This contrivance is described and illus- 
trated in the annual report for 18Sl-'82 (pi. ix, pp. 159-161). The pump 
has heavy metallic valves, and its piston-head has no soft packing, so 
there is nothing about it that can get out of order. Yarn i)ackiug is 
used in the stufiing-box at its top. Being double acting it throws a 
strong and constant stream. Only one trunnion-eye need be moved? 
and a single iron wedge, instead of two, is sufhcieut for setting it. The 
wedge has on its head a catch whereby it is easily pryed out, and an eye 
^y which it is chained fast to prevent losing it. In place of the wooden 
•Stirrer bar formerly employed I have made an iron one having a spring 
at the middle to clamp snugly in the eye at the bottom of the pump. 
This will not weaken with age or break. The cord or chain for pulling 
out the bar is not essential, as by having the end bung-hole of two 
inches diameter a pair of tongs or pinchers can be inserted to take hold 
of the end of the stirrer an9. extract it. The main hose or pipe has a 
45crew union, by which it is easily separable from the j)ump. 

The descending pipes between the rows should have flexion and tor- 
sion in their joints or segments or hangings. The ground beneath 
the cotton-rows is highly ridged, and the mid-furrow between each 
pair of rows is deep. The ground thus formed operates upon the 
lower parts of each descending jjipe or its appurtenances, when suita- 
bly shaped, so as automatically to guide the pipe and its nozzles 
between the rows, and to follow any crooks therein even when the 
couvej^ance is not driven in conformity with such irregularities. This 
automatical adjusting is allowed to a large extent even when the 
top of the descending pipe is firmly or non-adjustably attached, pro- 
vided that the descending pipe be flexile in some part of its course. 
This was shown in the earlier flexile forked machines which were 
tested for this Department near the Atlanta exposition. For the ob- 
ject in question the descending pipe may be flexile throughout, but it 
is more commonly preferable to construct this pipe of stift" segments 
having one or two flexile joints, or very short hose segments; one at 
its top, and another at about two-thirds or one-half of the way down- 
w^ard therefrom. It is also generally best to make these flexile seg- 
ments or joints of three-ply or two-ply hose, and only of such length 
as to allow them to bend like knee-joints, and to suffer a semi-rotation 
or semi-torsion. This construction prevents the trailiug-fork or other 
-end part from getting turned upside down, or from remaining in wrong 



TESTS OF MACHINERY FOR KILLING COTTON WORMS. 43 

attitude after dragging' amoug- or over the plants in turning, and it 
always tends to spring- or throw the nozzles back to such i^ositious that 
they deliver a properly-directed spray into the plants. Where torsion 
without bending- is desired in these flexile places a rod extending* 
through the interior may be employed somewhat as described for cross- 
pipes and nozzle-arms in the special report of the United States Ento- 
mological Commission that has been prepared. The arrangements and 
constructions referred to have been carefully tested this season to cor- 
roborate the results of previous experience. The principle involved 
is simple and practical in its operation, having been tested at Atlanta, 
and again this jeav at Selma, Ala. 

The flexile nozzle-arms of the Y-shaped trailing forks which were 
originally designed with flexile stems worked satisfactorily thus at- 
tached ; but when these fork-arms were tested on a stiffly hung pipe, 
the spring-rod inside soon proved too weak. The strong x>endant 
T-forkswith curved or sloping side-arms made stiff proximally, and hav- 
ing 3-ply hose for their distal half or two-thirds, stood severe usage by 
all methods, since they were made of stronger tubing and had mnch 
stouter spring-rods within. The spring-rod in each arm had its distal end 
soldered in a short piece of tube abutting against the stem of the nozzle. 
Forks of whatever construction will be guided more by the ridges if 
the arms extend in a somewhat upward direction before becoming hori- 
zontal at the ends beneath the plants, as the median part of the fork 
can then sink into the mid-furrow and be guided by its sides. Prob- 
ably nothing better than the pendant Y-forks and T-forks can be de- 
vised for spraying upward through the center of the plant. An addi- 
tional pair of short arms or of nozzles may be used with advantage to 
discharge from near the median line in divergent direction upward 
through the tops of the plants. The simplest plan is to join these or 
the simple eddy chambers directly to the stem-pipe or its extension, low 
down. Such nozzles may be attached side by side, or in what I call a 
tandem gang. ' This is a series of short tubes coupled end to end, each 
bearing an eddy-chamber discharge. These may be rotated on their 
axes and so are adjustable to different angles. Those who prefer to 
uuderspray the top of the plant and care less for its base will find the 
tandem arrangement by itself the best device for that purpose for throw- 
ing from the ground, though the forks answer as well when elevated, 
and may also be used beneath the base. 

The eddy-chamber nozzles seem the best sprayers available for ap- 
plying the poison. These nozzles have been tested this season with the 
discharge-hole of various sizes, from one-sixty-fourth to one-eighth of 
an inch diameter. The smaller orifices give the finest sprays conceiva- 
ble. Indeed, with high pressure, the spray vanishes into vapor and 
steam which does not fall, but rises to seek the clouds. From this the 
damp particles of poison powder must separate and fall. But with or- 
dinary pressure too fine a spray is not attained. 



44 BULLETIN iVO. 3, DIVLSION OF ENTOMOLOGY. 

With the fine strainer on the suction end of the pump, clogging mate- 
rials in the water are prevented from entering the pipe system or the 
nozzles. Additional smaller gauze strainers were attached to the ends- 
of the metal tubes in one set of pipes. They keep out dirt, etc., when 
the pipes are separated, but may not prove of importance. The i)roper 
method is to have a completely' closed system, with folding joints that 
never need to be separated, so the whole can be folded into a small com- 
pact package for transportation by rail or to the field. Such a sj'stem 
has given great satisfaction by its convenience, as well as by allowing no- 
obstacles to enter the nozzles. In spite of the most perfect precautions 
clogging will occur at the outset or before high pressure is attained, 
chiefly from the scales of iron separating from the interior of the pipe 
as loosened by rusting and jarring. With the finest nozzles (one sixty- 
fourth inch discharge) these seem to cause no more difficulty than with 
a standard beveled one-sixteenth inch discharge. The nozzle faces may 
be removed to let out any obstacles which with low i)ressure are apt 
to clog the outlet and stop the internal rotation. But a high i)ressure 
should always be used, and when this is once up the outlet may be 
pricked with a pin, and it will discharge with an almost explosive force, 
instantly starting an inconceivably rapid internal rotation, which, while 
sustained with due pressure, will by its centrifugal action prevent any 
particle from again finding the center of rotation from which the dis- 
charge takes place. This is especially true of the smallest nozzles^ 
having an outlet just large enough to admit the insertion of a pin. As 
previously set forth, the inner edge of the outlet should generally be 
square or sharp. In the eddy chamber a great hydraulic pressure is 
generated, so great that by thumb pressure the discharge cannot be 
stopped. The power therein accumulated under high pressure is suffi- 
cient to cut through and disintegrate any obstructing particles or frag- 
ments, except those of the hardest kind, which are so heavy as to ^y off 
from the center by their weight and momentum when the velocity 
of rotation is once up or quickly starts. 

The top adjustments of the descending pipes are very important. 
These tops may be variously hung, combined, or constructed. A knowl- 
edge of the irregularities of ordinary cotton fields, such as .appear chiefly 
in crooks of the rows and in variations of width between them, i)re vents 
the idea of a stiff, unadjustable attachment of the tops of the pipes^ 
which must travel between and more or less against the rows. Con- 
formity to all inequalities of the ground, its numerous ups and downs, its 
dead furrows, ditches, stones, and stumps, sliould likewise be attained. 
It must also be evident that a large, stiff apparatus is difficult to haul 
about, as it cannot be taken entire through gates except with much la- 
bor. Of course it is possible to disjoint the parts beforehand, and then 
screw them together tight afterwards when the field is reached. This^ 
however, is hardly practicable. In fact the separating and joining of 
stiff metal joints by field hands is a failure. Plumber's tools are neces- 



TESTS OF MACHINERY FOR KILLING COTTON WORMS. 45 

sary for this purpose. The field laborer of the South screws up the joint 
too tight, too loose, or in snch form as to spoil the screw-threads. Again, 
the joints become rusted together and a vise must be engaged. The 
stiff system also requires that very heavy pipe be used, as the leverage 
on long pipe arms enables them to suffer great strain, to become broken 
off easily at the end where the thread for the joint is cut, whereas with 
flexile joints no leverage power but oidy tensiJe strain can be brought to 
bear. In the latter case very light tubing can be employed with economy 
in material, cost, labor, and salvage of cotton. Moreover, only by such 
light flexile apparatns can any considerable number of rows be treated 
at once from beneath. These facts have been substantiated by tests of 
stiff' and of flexile apparatus this season more fully than they were by 
the Atlanta tests, in which one light machine underspraj'ed eighteen 
rows of cotton, a strip twenty yards wide, at a single drive. The tests 
this year have been not only of stiff' connections, but also of the con- 
structions whereby adjustability of the descending pipes is effected au- 
tomatically and b}' hand. These have already been noticed above or 
in the previous reports in so far as they pertain to the stem or body of 
the pipe or its distal appendages ; hence, next in order may be considered 
more specifically and in natural sequence the construction and arrange- 
ments of the tops of these pipes as planned and tested by me : 

I. The stiff' hanging tubes have been tried, as already set forth, in 
firm union with a stiff back-pipe or cross-pipe such as appears in many 
of the patented sprayers, as Johnson's, Daughtrey's, etc., while suffi- 
cient objections to this arrangement for underspraying have already 
been presented. It is the first construction which naturally suggests 
itself to any plumber or other mechanic, but presents no special adap- 
tation for the purpose, as has been shown this season and previously. 

II. The extremest opposite construction to the foregoing is attained 
by having radiating flexile tubes from the main to the descending pipes, 
instead of a straight and stiff' cross-pipe. By this arrangement the 
hanging pipes are swung apart or nearer together independently, and 
set on a cross-bar or on diverging bars, at spaces to suit rows having 
difl'erent courses or widths. 

By way of variation the tubes may radiate only for a part of the 
distance, and for a space run close beside each other along a supporting 
bar before reaching the descending parts. The parts upon the support 
are preferably of metal, and slide readily in peculiarly locked hooks, as 
simple, easily separable attachments, specially devised for this purpose. 
Where the descending parts have flexibility to some extent they may 
■drag in the cotton in turning, as stated above. It is shown that they thus 
<lono noteworthy harm to the plants; also that they themselves do not 
sufter injury. This flexile construction is simple, and generally preferable 
in combination with the flexile connectives between their tops. But 
should any prefer that the hanging parts be elevated above the plants in 
turning, this is easily done. For such purpose, and to shorten the lever- 



46 BULLETIN NO. 3, DIVISION OP ENTOMOLOGY. 

age in lifting", the descending i^art slionld preferably have a flexile joint 
just below midway, to bend like a knee when the lift is made. The upper 
half of the descending- i^ipe is rigidly continuous with the stiff parallel 
part, forming- therewith a bent angle, while the proximal end of the 
parallel part is turned backward as a hollow tubnlar crank, having- its 
handle-end communicating with one of the radiating or slack hose pipes, 
which allow the stiff parts to be shifted laterally. By swinging the back - 
ward crank-shaped part of the pipe over to a forward position, into a 
catch, the hanging parts of the pipe are swung upward above the plants 
and sustained there. This season two, three, and four of these crauk- 
ended pipes were tried, combined with the same bar. When the 
horizontal part of such a pipe is short or not too heavy it will be shifted 
laterally automatically by the trailing part by the method already 
noticed ; but where the pipe is too heavy or rough to slide easily the 
hand of the pumper mnst occasionally be used upon the proximal or 
crank end to shove the pipe into such i)Osition as will suitably adjust 
the nozzles to the rows. 

In the divergent arrangements thus indicated the shifting or lateral 
adjustability is permitted by opening or shutting the angles between 
the diverging tubes, and this is, in its operation, in some sense, analo- 
gous to taking- out and letting out slack in the connecting parts between 
the nozzles. By a surplus amount of inflection or slack, by joint or other 
flexibility, in a tube or tubes connecting the tops of any two neighbor- 
ing pipes, whether right, left, or mesial, in a system, the two can be sep- 
arated, approximated, or independently adjusted to the extent desired. 
By this method the stiff" pieces sliding on the bar and supporting the 
pipe-tops can be short, light, and arranged somewhat end to end, joined 
in tandem order, with intermediate flexile crooks that may be extended 
or shortened as operated by the automatic action of the trailing- branch. 
These tandem gangs of light, sliding- segments for sujiporting or sup- 
plying the tops of the pipes, have stood a satisfactory test in the cot- 
ton this season. 

Such parts may also be arranged on bars having a slope backward 
or downward, as on the A-frames, or other kinds of frames, or they can 
be set in a somewhat zigzag manner on a cross-bar. This use of a 
slope gives certain advantages, and characterizes some varieties of 
apparatus closely related to that just noticed. In these, the pulling 
of the downward pipe, by its gravitation or friction, causes its top 
piece, which has an inclination to slide on the slope, to travel in a 
diagonal direction along on the support and across the rows ; but work- - 
ing in opposition thereto is a j)ull-line or cord having one end on a 
winder near the hand of the pumper. Letting out the line allows the 
pipe to travel farther along the slope, and winding- it up draws the pipe 
in the opposite direction. Thus any pipe at a distance can be easily 
shifted and set at a point to suit by letting out or drawing the line. This 
principle I have executed in three ways : In the first, the supply tube 



TESTS OF MACHINERY FOR KILLING COTTON WORMS. 47 

supports the hung -pipe and slides in eyes situated diagonally with re- 
ference to the hung-pipe. In the second, the pipe-toji is supplied by a 
flexile piece of hose, and is supported by a long slide-rod on one or 
two of its sides, and inserted through loose eyes placed diagonally from 
the course of traction, as in the foregoing case. ' In the third instance 
the top is similarly sui)plied by a hose, but is hung by a peculiar locked 
hook, eye, or loop which glides loosely on a stiffly-set diagonal bar. The 
simple wooden A-frame answers, and a series of small sloping metal bars^ 
of gas-pipe were arranged on a wooden cross-bar. This device worked 
well. Many kinds of winders would apply, but a simple plan is to wind 
the small rope or cord around a pair of large eye-screws i)laced 3 inches- 
apart. The set line can be attached at any point along the sliding 
parts. Behind the proximal end of the range, through which any 
pipe-top is to be allowed to slide, the line may pass through a large 
screw-eye and thence to an extension of the pipe-top above the axis on 
which it is hung. Then the pipe may be drawn to this place, and by an 
extra pull its top will be brought down to the eye and the lower parts 
of the pipe will be tilted upward above the plants for turning, when this 
feature is desired. 

Concerning the use of kerosene upon cotton, the following should be 
stated : About 10 gallons were applied, half undiluted and half in 
emulsion variously diluted. The undiluted petroleum destroyed about 
10 per cent, of the foilage sprayed by it. The undiluted milk-kerosene 
emulsion ruined only about 2 per cent., and this diluted injures less and 
less according to the attenuation, but all treated was injured to at least 
a slight extent. The sprays were hardly satisfactory, as the tubing, 
would not permit the high ijressure necessary for a very fine mist, and 
the indications are that with the finest spray the strong kerosene and its 
slightly diluted preparations may possibly yet become used, in j^roper 
hands with great caution, upon the crop, but additional experimental 
tests are needed. 

The apparatus taken, with the different machines constructed at Selma 
and overcoming the objections herein set forth, have been shipped to the 
Department. 

The leading conclusions from the experiments upon the special points 
in my instructions may be extracted from the above and briefly sum- 
marized as follows : 

At Selma, I operated the machine taken from the Department and 
tested the points in question, so far as circumstances permitted. The 
distinctive feature of the machine, its stiff supporting pipes, unfitted it 
for the work to be accomplished. As fields could not be found having 
rows practically of the same regular width as the spaces at which the 
downward pipes were held stiff by their supporting pipe, that permitted 
no independent lateral adjustment of the tox^s of the hanging pipes with 
reference to each other or to the rows having different or varying widths, 
this vital impediment at the outset frustrated its use and the obtain- 



48 BULLETIN NO. 3, DIVISION OF ENTOMOLOGY. 

meiit of results dependent thereon. The tests showed that with apipe- 
systeiu, without hiteral adjustability at the top, very few rows, usually 
not more than four, can be treated at once. In this small form the whole 
pipe system can occasionally be moved laterally by hand as the row 
irregularities require it. 

The forks were operated dragging upon the ground, and also set at 
different heights. The ratchet for vertical adjustment subserved this 
purpose ssatisfactorily. Where it is desired to spray the base and interior 
of the i)lants from beneath, the nozzle arms must necessarily be car- 
ried near or on the ground, and with medium to small cotton this method 
^Iso sprays the tops sufficiently well, but if the growth be heavy and 
dense it proves better to set the forks higher for more thoroughly poi- 
soning the tops. 

The stirrer pump worked admirably ; but a larger pump of the same 
kind was necessary to treat a greater number of rows, to ascertain how 
large a number it is possible or advisable to spray at a time. While the 
large ijumj) was being constructed and shipped the time limited by my 
orders expired. 

Four rows may be set as the number it is most practical to treat at a 
time with the kind of machine in question. 

The springs of the fork-arms should be larger and have a longer bend 
than in the samples taken, since the unyielding attachment of the stem, 
pipes to the stiff supporting pipe above throws on the springs much 
greater strain than occurs in the machines having descending i^arts 
hung to operate independently of each other. 

Until my time had expired worms were not abundant enough to study 
the effects on them of the coarser and finer sprays applied, but the 
coarser spray was more injurious to the foliage with poisons, and still 
more so with petroleum. 

The standard form of eddy-chamber nozzle was used with discharges 
of different sizes. The smallest discharge holes, of Jj to J^ of an inch 
diameter, with very high pressure, gave the most satisfactory results. 

The " actual cost, and the actual area cov^ered by a given amount of 
liquid," vary greatly with the width between the rows, the sizes of the 
sprays and of the plants, with the number of nozzles, with the amount 
of pressure applied and the volume capacity of the pump, the velocity 
at which the machine is drawn, etc. On account of the complexity of 
the question, and especially because of leakage from imperfect pipe- 
joints and for want of other and larger ai^paratus, the question could 
not be solved with any exactness. 



t)N SOME OF THE NORTH AMERICAN COSSIDJE, WITH FACTS IN 
THE LIFE HISTORY OF COSSUS CENTERENSIS Lintner. 



By James S. Bail?:y, A. M., M. D., Albany, N. Y. 



Cossus centerensis (Plate I) was discovered by Br. Theodore P. Bailey 
ill 1877. For manj' years previous I had observed that rnauy trees of the 
Fopulus tremuloides had perished from some cause theu uuknown. The 
central shoots of other trees of the same species were dead, and it would 
only require a few years to finish their destruction. Perforations were 
found in the trunks of these trees, some of recent date and some over- 
grown with bark, leaving the cicatrices plainly visible. 

In July, 1870, a brittle i)upa-case of the Cossus was found projecting 
from one of the openings, which gave the first clue to the nature of the 
borer and destroyer of the timber. 

On the 10th of Jane, 1877, a fresh pupa-case was discovered, and on 
the 14th of the same month the first Cossus was captured, resting ui^ou 
the same tree trunk. Every season since this capture the Cossus has 
been taken, but in some years in greater numbers than others. 

The Cossus usually comes forth between the setting and rising of the 
sun, and when the trees are visited daily the protruding pupa-cases left 
behind bj^ the escaped imagines informs the collector how many of the 
usBcts he may expect to find. 

Their color similates so closely the color of the bark of the trees that 
it requires good eyes and very close observation to find the moths. 
One unaccustomed to collect them might view an infested tree for a 
long time and not find a Cossus, when several would be discovered by 
an expert. An uneven protuberance on the bark, or the short stump 
left of a decayed broken limb are favorite resting places for the insect. 

The moth at first is rather sluggish, and can be easily captured. After 
it has been abroad for some days it is wild and more or less muti- 
lated. This Cossus is not attracted by sugar, as might be expected 
from its aborted tongue.* The moth seems to belong to the genus Cos- 
sus Fabr., and not to be congeneric with Xysfus robiniw. The head is 
short, eyes naked, labial palpi small, appressed, scaled. The thorax is 
thickly scaled, the scales gathered into a ridge behind, and is squarer 

* The writer is desirous of producing all the known facts in reference to this insect 
in th's pajier; therefore the descriptive parts which have been published before are 
reproduced. 

(49) 
5 LJo 4 



50 BULLETIN NO. 3, DIVISION OF ENTOMOLOGY. 

iu front than iu Xijstns, not so elongate or so elevated dorsally. The 
male antennae are bi])ectinate ; tbe lamelhe rather short and ciliate. 
The female antenna^ are serrated. It is allied to the European Cossns 
terehra F., but is a larger insect. It differs from C. qnerciperda Fitch 
by the absence of any yellow on the male hind wing, and by its darker 
color and closer reticulations. 

In color this species is black and gray. The edges of the thorax and 
collar are shaded with gray, more noticeable on some specimens than 
others. The primaries are covered with black reticulations, which are 
not always identical in their minor details iu different specimens, nor 
sometimes on both wings in the same specimen. Beyond the cell there 
is a transverse continuous line, broader than the rest, and outwardly 
bent over median nervules. The brown color is blackish over nearly 
two-thirds of the primaries from the base, and outwardly gray ; hind 
wings rounded in both sexes, with blackish hairs at base, pale and snb- 
pellucid, with short gray fringe, before which there is a narrow black- 
ish edging. The abdomen is blackish. The males are smaller than the 
females. The smallest male expands about 40™™, the largest female 
over GO™™ (see Plate I, Figs. 10, 11, and 12). While thus far the Centre 
(N. Y.) locality has proved to be the chief home of this Cossus, it will 
undoubtedly be found elsewhere wherever the Populus trenniloidex 
is found. Several pupa-cases of this species have been founxl in the 
corporate limits of Albany. Usually trees of less than 1 foot in diameter 
are attacked, although in one instance a pupa-case was found in a tree 
measuring 16 inches in diameter. 

It is a very different matter to observe the changes of insect life from 
the eggs to the imago when feeding upon the foliage of vegetation than 
where the larvae have bored deep into a tree trunk and feed upon the 
ligneous fiber and its circulating fluids. To obtain this information it 
has been necessary several times each year to cut down trees bearing in- 
dications of its ravages, and to dissect them into fragments the size of 
kindling-wood. The months of October, April, and June were selected 
as suitable times for such investigations. October 14 we visited a tree 
for the purpose of obtaining caterpillars, and from a limb 4 feet in length 
six caterpillars were taken, two of which were occupying cells as seen in 
the engraving. 

April 2 we cut from a tree a limb 3 feet in length, and in it we found 
seventeen caterpillars of three distinct sizes, indicating a growth for each 
year. The larger ones were not fully grown. All of them were actively 
passing through their tunnels in the wet wood, through which the sap 
was freely flowing. Not any of the caterpillars were occupying i)upa- 
cells at this time. June 12, 1881, we again visited a tree when the insects 
were emerging. The tree selected was far advanced in decay, from the 
effects of the tunneling of the larva' ; only about 4 feet of the truidx was 
alive, with a few lateral branches in foliage, scarcely enough to support 
its respiration. In the trunk were found fresh pupa-cases, pupa*, and 



O^ THE NORTH AMERICAN COSRIDiE. 51 

caterpillars. Again three crops of larva^ were found; the larger ones 
were inactive and lying in tbe sap-wood, with their heads close to the 
bark which was gnawed nearly through to the outer surface. These 
caterpillars had evidently taken their last position preparatory to their 
final transformation into pupa>. Pupae were also found occupying the 
same position, and when the bark was removed were visible. 

The larvataken October 14 from its burrows is 45'""' in length, of a i>ale 
flesh color. It is a little broader anteriorly. The i)rothoracic segment 
is blackish brown above, the dark color edged with a dirty orange shad- 
ing. The head is mahogany brown, shining, slightly roughened. The 
mandibles are black, with strong teeth. The surface of the head gives 
rise here and there to single scattered hairs. The antenna? are three- 
jointed; the second joint gives rise to a single long hair. The seventh 
eighth, ninth, and tenth abdominal segments are provided with false 
feet. The segments are marked with a lateral row of brown dots above 
the reddish stigmata, and there is a row of similar dots, two to a segment, 
on each side of the dorsal line. These dots give rise to single pale hairs. 
The larva moves with freedom either backward or forward. The bar 
rows which it excavates are about lo"""^ in width and terminate in the 
pupating cell, which is about 40'"'" in length, smooth ; the extremity 
towards the opening is closed by a wad of finer and then coarser filings 
of the wood. The coarser splinters are not detached entirely from the 
wood, but are split uj) by the larva? all around the top of the cell, and 
project like bristles, appearing somewhatas those wooden toy trees which 
are made for children, and which are formed by shaving down the wood 
and leaving the shavings adhering by one end. These splinters make 
a firm wad. Against them are piled a quantity of finer chips or thin 
tilings, which are loose but pressed together. 

The cell (Plate 1, Fig. 7) is about 40'"™ from the outer bark of the tree, 
and the chrysalis (Figs. 8 and 9) makes its way to the air through the 
burrow, by means of its teeth on the segments and the spinose process 
on the front, by which it forces itself, by stretching and contracting the 
abdomen, through the wood scrapings which close the cell, until it comes 
to the end. We have noticed a fine thread of silk proceeding from the 
spinneret of the larva, although in the cocoon we have found no silk 
whatever. The cocoon or pupa-cell seems to have been formed by wedg- 
ing first coarser and then finer strips of the wood together, and seems 
to be merely a more carefully and smoothly finished enlargement of the 
original burrow. 

A specimen of the pupa which I have examined is about 30'""' in length, 
narrow, brownish black, shining rugose. The clypeus presents a strong, 
broad, spinous process, supported at base by lateral projections. On 
the under side it descends into a wide sulcation terminating in a broad 
projection. The capital appendages are visible, and here and there arise 
isolated hairs as in the. ]H^evious stage. The abdominal segments are. 
provided with teeth over the dorsum, decreasing in size to the stigmatal 



52 BULLETIN NO. 3, DIVLSION OF ENTOMOLOGY. 

line. The anal segment is provided with two unequal-sized terminal 
teeth on each side of the veut. (Plate J, Figs. 8 and 9.) 

The chrysalides vary much in size, and some of them are infested with 
au ichneumon fly, which preys ou the caterpillar. A pupa was observed 
endeavoring to make its way to the surface of the bark, but seemingly 
unable to extricate itself, when assistance was rendered by enlarging 
the orifice. It was laid in a paper box for hatching. A few days after- 
wards many minute ichneumons were observed resting upon the wal] 
near the box. On examination they were found to be escaping through 
minute holes in the pupa, which would barely admit a Xo. 3 entomolog- 
ical pin. Fifteen of these perforations were counted in this pupa. I 
presume that the larva of the Cossus is pursued in its burrows by the 
parent parasite. If so it is curious that the Cossus pupa is not killed 
by the parasites until it has worked itself up to t4ie mouth of the tun. 
uol, thus allowing the ichneumon flies to escape outside. 

When ready to emerge, the pupa, by means of stout cusps on its ab- 
dominal segments, works itself to the end of the opening, and with its 
pointed head-case the thin portion of bark which has been left by the 
caterpillar's instinct is severed and removed. It pushes itself through 
the opening as far as the base of the abdomen, by a sort of rotary mo- 
tion, which acts in its mode of cutting like a carpenter's center-bit. The 
thoiacic end of the pupa after exposure a short time to the air becomes 
dry and splits, and the moth escapes, climbing up the bark of the tree, 
shaking out its wings, until developed. After the moth has escaped the 
empty pupa-case may still be seen protruding from the entrance of the 
tunnel. It is not true that Cossus centerensis prefers detid w^ood to bur- 
row in. It is a fact that it is most frequently found in partially decayed 
trees, for after the larvae obtain a lodgment by its perforations in di- 
verse directions through the heart and alburnum, admitting air and 
water, it causes irreparable decay. There are three species of poplar 
found in the vicinity of Centre,* viz, (jrandideiitata, dilatola, and treniu- 
loides^ but as yet C. centerensis has only been found in the Populus 
tremuloides. 

It is stated by Harris that C. Ugniperda deposits her eggs on the bark 
near the root of the tree, which I believe is the habit of most of the 
borers. It would seem from tbe following that it is not the invariable 
mode. In splitting open a tree trunk on June 12 a Cossus was observed 
to tly from the cleft, which on l)eing captured i)roved to be a female. 
It was supposed she had taken possession of a tunnel for the purpose 
depositing her eggs. The loose debris from the excavations was 
gathered together, an examination of which revealed Cossus eggs. 
(Plate I Figs 1 and 2.) The female was confined in a box; the next 
morning she had deposited fifty-two eggs; some of them were attached 
to the sides and others on the bottom of the box. Some of the eggs 



*Now called Kariier. 



ON THK NOKTH AMERICAN COSSID.E. 53 

were depositc*! sillily and some h\ confused Leaps, and were attached 
to each other and to the box with a viscid substance. 

Another female was captured June 20, and in forty-eijiht hours after 
being piunetl she had deposited sixty eggs, whicli varied somewliat in 
color from the former. 

The Cossus after being pinned is very restive, especially* while de- 
positing her ova ami by the constant motion of the oviposter in endeav- 
oring to extrude the ova. The loo-e abdominal scales are removed and 
attached to the eggs by the moist viscid fluid with which they are cov- 
ered, and which often gives them the ap[)earance of being clothed with 
scales. A few of the ova collected this season have this appearance, 
but a strong lens exposes the true condition. (\ center ensis in not so 
prolitic as some of the other species of Cossida'. C. roblnke Peck and 
C. quereiperda Fitch have been known to extrude upwards of three 
hundred ova. In European s])ecies over one thousand ova have been 
found on dissection. The ruin of whole forestsof timber in which these 
insects revel is doubtless prevented by the destruction of the eggs by 
ants and birds, the size of the eggs being sufficient to form a tempting 
morsel. In a state of nature the female Cossus deposits a small num- 
ber of her ova upon each tree which she visits until her supply is ex- 
hausted. 

This season the enlarged perforations through the bark show unmis- 
takable evidence that the trees had been recently visited by wood- 
peckers, which could find little difficulty in procuring an abundance of 
full-grown larva*. 

C. C€ntere7isis is found throughout the region known as the pine bar- 
rens, which cover an area of perhaps 12 square miles between Albany 
and Schenectady. The s(.il of this region seems especially well adapted 
to the growth of the timber which it supi)orts. 

At the present time no correct observations have been made in ref- 
erence to the molts of the caterpillars, but information on this subject 
will soon be obtained from Mr. A. H. Muudt, of Illinois, who has had 
opportunities of observing, up to the fourth molt, the caterpillars of 
C.rohinicv, which are found in the willows and poplars in his vicinity. 

Cossus centerensis appears every year, and from observations and from 
numerous examinations of the trees by actual sections during the three 
months of the year enumerated, I am convinced that the caterj)illar.s 
are not fully matured until the end of the third year, when they arrive 
at their perfect or winged state. The pupa state is comparatively 
short, lasting less than a month before the moth appears. From figures 
3, 4, and 5 of Plate I we see representations of caterpillars found Octo- 
ber 14, which establish the fact beyond dispute, through observations 
extending over many years, that it requires three full years for the cat- 
erpillar to arrive at maturity. 



54 BULLETIN NO. 3, DIVISION OF ENTOMOLOGY. 

Cossus ANGEEZi Bailey. 

(Plate II, Fi«-.(;.) 

We repeat the original description of this species, given in Papilio for 
June, 1882 (Vol. II, No. 0, p. 93) : 

Cossus ANGRKZi. 11. s. 9 • Head somewhat narrow on the vertex. Ct>llar ami head 
yellowish gray, thorax black; the edges of tlie tegnhe shaded with yellowish gray. 
Fore wings with a nearly white ground, shaded with black, and with black reticula- 
tions. Hind wings yellowish graj', mottled with blackish outwardly. The fore wings 
have the costal edge jiale, marked with black; the black shading obtains on costa at 
apical third, and over the whole wing at terminal third, extending obliquely down- 
var<ls and inwards; there are a series of interspacial longitudinal black streaks be- 
fore the margin, more or less detined. Fringes whitish, dotted with black opposite 
the ends of the veins, which latter conversely are whitish. Thorax shaded with yel- 
lowish gray behind. Abdomen dark gray. Beneath the wings repeat the markings 
very distinctly, owing to the strong contrast of the pale ground color with the black 
jnarkings. Expanse, 82""". 1 9. Wells, Elko Co., Nevada. Fnmi the late Mrs. 
Caroline Chase. Type, coll. James S. Bailey. 

This I believe is a true Cossus, although the S is not known to me. 
The shape of the wing is as in centerensis. The structure is that of 
<'o.S'.s'«.S', and not of rriono.vystus. The thorax is snbquadrate, the vest- 
iture short and thick. The interspacial black dasiies along the prima- 
1 ies snbterminally distinguish it specifically. The pre-apical transverse 
black streak or line resembles that of C. centerensis. The hind wings 
iu-e faintly reticulated. The ground color is a yellowish white. The 
biack blotches on fore wings of rohinia' are here wanting, while there is 
ji difliise discal shade blotch, another above and beyond it on costa, and 
the wing shows a wide, soft, blackish shading, obliquely edged inwardly 
and covering the outer portions of the wing. Except the antennte ray 
type is perfect. Beneath it is strongly marked, and reminds one of 
<\ rohinia' Peck, but the sliape of the wing is not like that species. 
The thorax is black above, not gray with black stripe on tegulte, and 
the collar is discolorous, pale yellowish gray. This species ought to be 
recognizable. The shape of the thorax is like Cossus, as is the vestiture, 
so that I am not prepared to find that the male has the peculiarities of 
C. rohinue and querciperda Fitch. I hope Western collectors will solve 
the question. But I cannot regard angrezi as having anything to do 
with the question of a Western representative of rohinia'. From Her- 
rich Schaefer's figure, and what has been published, I believe that robi- 
ni(c is found across the continent. 

Prionoxystus robini^ Peck. 

1 have a female with extended ovipositor. We have proba^bly only 
one species, reaching from California to the East, and this is phy tophagic, 
feeding on the oak, willow, as well as the locust and other trees. No 
difference by which these forms can be separated is appreciable. The 
female is redescribe<l as cre^Hirahy Dr. Harris. The insect was common 
in 1882 in difterent localities in New York State. 



ON THE NORTH AMERICAN COSSID^. 55 

Structure. — The female aiiteiiu;e are pectiuate. The termiual seg- 
ment of the abdomen narrows and becomes elongated and cylindrical 
towards its extremity. The male secondaries are half the size of the 
female's and obliqnely and sqarely cnt off" along- external margin, being 
also discolorons and of a bright yellow. The thorax is long and 
narrowed, elevated in front of the fore wings. The head is longer 
and more projected compared with Cossus, the prothorax narrowing- 
iinteriorly, neck-like. The labial palpi are longer and more distinct. 
The fore wing- is more produced apically, longer and narrower ; the outer 
edge less full and more oblique. The vestiture is sparse, thin, flatly 
laid on in body and Avings. The hard chitinous tegument is less 
hidden, and the whole insect has a certain coleopterous aspect, remind- 
ing- usof the wood-boring Ceramhycida', snch as Prionus^ qmte strongly. 
The aspect is not moth-like, but hard and chitinous. Just as there is a 
certain resemblance between different species feeding on a particular 
plant, as the pine-feeders, so do all borers have some points in common. 
The generic characteristics all hold good with the second species of this 
genus. 

Prionoxystus querciperda Fitch. 

(Plate II, Fig. 4.) 

This species is smaller than robiniw, the 9 expanding 4|5 or 47""", the $ 
^bout 10™'" less. The male hind wings seem translucent, but on hold- 
ing them obliquely in certain lights the yellow tint may be seen plainly. 
This smaller and rarer species occurs also in Texas. It is freer from 
reticulations and more transparent than any other form. 

We have representatives of four genera of Cossidw in the United 
States, viz., Hypopta, Cossus, Prionoxystus^ and Cossula. As to the species 
described under Cossus, several are incompletely described, and none 
are now so well known as G. centerensis, which has been studied by my 
son, Dr. Theodore P. Bailey, and myself. 

Cossula MAaNiFiCA Bailey. 

(Plate II, Figs. 1, 2, and 3.) 

[This species was described by Dr. Bailey in Papilio for July, 1882 
<Vol. II, No. 6, p. 94), with notes upon its habits. The larva bores into 
live-oak {Quercus virens) in Florida. No new matter was prepared on 
this species at the time of his death, and we do not consider it necessary 
to repeat the original description. — C. Y. R.] 



REPORT ON THE EXAMINATION OF RAW SILKS. 

By 

AVlLLIAM McMURTRIE, E. M., PII. D. 

Professor of Chemistri/ in Illinois Industrial University. 

Champaign, III., February 8, 1883. 
Sir : I have just completed the examination of tlie samples of silk 
you offered for measurements of fineness and tensile strength of the 
fibre, and I take pleasure in submitting herewith the results we have 
been able to obtain, together with a brief description of the methods^ 
employed in the examination, and some considerations of the relations 
exhibited in the results. 
Very respectfully, 

Wm. McMuetrie. 

Prof. C. V. EiLEY, 

U. aS'. Entomologist. 



REPORT. 



Description of the material. — The material furnished for the examina- 
tion about to be described consists of eight samples of cocoons of vari- 
ous races of silkworms, grown in this country in different localities, with 
different kinds of food. Each sample was inclosed in a box bearing an 
inscription by which the sample was distinguished, and the latter is to 
be found in Table I at the bottom of the column, giving the results of the 
measurements of the fineness of the respective samples. No measure- 
ments were made to determine the size of the cocoons or the weight of 
the silk they are capable of yielding, for the latter would involve the 
use of appliances not at our disposition. But it may be said that they 
were of good size, perfectly firm and uniform, clean and of good color j 
in fact, from all appearances, evidently of excellent quality. This con- 
stitutes all the information we have concerning the history of the co- 
coons. 

Object of the examination. — The examination, as requested, was more to 
determine the quality of silk grown in the United States as compared 
with that obtained in European culture. For the purposes of the com- 
parison we must refer to the published works giving the fineness and 
strength of the European raw silks, since we have had no material with 
which to determine the necessary data. From the appearance of the 
cocoons, however, there can be little doubt that the comparison will 
prove favorable to the American product. 



THE MICROSCOPIC EXAMINATION OF SILK FIBRES. 57 

Preparation of the material for examination. — As bas already been in- 
timated, we were pro^■ided with no special apparaius for reeling the silk 
from the cocoons, and specimens for the measurement of the fineness 
and one set for determination of the tensile strength were obtained by 
simply cutting open the cocoons, separating the layers by pulling them 
apart, and taking portions of fibre at random from each part. No at- 
tempt was made to determine in this examination diflereuces in the 
quality of the fibre dependent upon the location of the part in the strati- 
fication of the cocoon, and hence the period of the spinning operation at 
which it was formed, both because the time at our disposal for making- 
the examination had been limited and because this did not constitute 
a principal object in the examination desired. There is no doubt, how- 
ever, that an investigation with this regard would furnish results of 
great interest and value. 

The fibres separated in this way were designated as " dry ; " that is, no 
moisture was employed in their separation. It is well known that the 
strength of the cocoon depends upon the glutinous character of the fibre 
on the instant of its issue from the spinnerets of the insect, and that the 
glutinous matter covering the fibre and forming a portion of its constit- 
uent structure readily softens in warm water. And it is further well 
known that this principle is applied practically in the industrial pro- 
cesses of silk reeling. To determine what influence this may have upon 
the fibre, we submitted a series of the cocoons to the action of warm 
water, and when they were sufficiently softened secured the end of the 
fibre and wound it upon slips of card-board, thus applying in a crude 
way the process of reeling. The fibre so obtained has therefore been 
designated as " wet." The influence of the treatment to which the fibre 
is subject in this process of separating it will be discussed later on, and 
is manifest in the results given in Table II. 

Measurements of fineness. — If the fibre of raw silk be examined with a 
microscope of sufficiently high i^ower, it appears to consist of a more 
or less flattened strip, somewhat depressed through the middle, so that 
its cross-section may be likened to the longitudinal section of a dumb- 
bell (co), as shown in the figure. This is explained by the fact that the 
fibre in the glutinous condition is discharged by the worm in spinning, 
from the spinnerets located on the under side of the head, near the man- 
dibles. As they pass out and are stretched by the worm in its to-and- 
fro motions in spinning, the two fibres are cemented together more or 
less firmly according to the rapidity of spinning. 

Sometimes these iH'imary fibres, as they maj" be termed, are separate 
and free from each other, and each is an almost perfect elongated cylin- 
der. But in most cases they are firmly joined, and the two form a 
compact whole, constituting the raw fibre of the cocoon. It is plain^ 
therefore, that this raw fibre is not cylindrical but ribbon-shaped, and 
that it has two lateral axes of difierent lengths, so that on some accounts 
a single measurement of a fibre does not represent its fineness, while at 



58 BULLETIN NO. 3, DIVISION OF ENTOMOLOGY. 

the same time there is danger that iu taking the measurements with the 
microscope the longer axis of tlie fibre may be taken in some cases, while 
in others the shorter axis may be inadvertently chosen. St) also it 
Oiay to some appear extremely desirable that in order to fairly deter- 
mine the fineness of the fibre both axes should be measured, and there 
is much of reason in this opinion. On the other hand, if we bear in mind 
that the breadth of the ribbon will depend upon the diameter of the in- 
dividual fibres constituting the raw fibre, it will be seen that the breadth 
of the fibre, or its longer, lateral axis, may be accepted as a fair repre- 
sentation of the degree of fineness of this condition of the staple. 

The method of taking the measurements of fineness is therefore as fol- 
lows : The cocoon is cut open and separated into the difl'erent layers of 
which it is made up. A small tuft of fibres is then cut from each, taken 
at random. These are then cut to suitable length and mounted upon the 
glass object slide for microscope, immersed in Canada balsam, and covered 
with a thin glass circle. When the cover is in place the slide is gently 
warmed and laid aside for the balsam to dry and harden. When ready 
for the purpose each slide is placed upon the stage of the microscope, 
the fibres successively brought into focus, and the width of the image at 
its widest part measured by means of an eye-piece micrometer, which 
liasbeenstaudardizedby meansof a stage micrometer graduated to centi- 
millimeters. The relative measurement taken in this way is reduced to 
the absolute standard and the result entered in the record. The object 
of taking the width of the image at its widest part is to obviate the 
danger of measuring the image of the fibre turned more or less with 
its edge toward the eye, a difficulty that would materially vitiate the 
result. 

In experiments made in this connection, as well as in the measure- 
ments of wools and cottons in a similar way, it has been found both ad- 
visable and necessary, in order to arrive at satisfactory conclusions con- 
cerning the property under consideration, to make measurements of at 
least thirty fibres in each sample. For imrposes of comparison every 
measurement is entered upon the record, which is given in the following 
table : 



THE MICROSCOPIC EXAMINATION OF SILK FIBRES. 59 

Table I. — Measurements of the fineness of raw silk. 



Catalogue number of sam- 
ples. 


I. 




II. 


III. 


, 


3.00 






2.625 




3.25 








2. .50 






3. .50 




2. 625 








3. 50 






4.625 




2.75 








3.75 






2.50 




2. 875 








2.875 






2.625 




2.75 








3.75 






2.50 




3.50 






i 


3.75 






2.875 




2.75 








3. 875 






3.875 




3.25 








3.50 






3.25 




2.75 








2. 625 






2.75 




3.25 








2. 875 






2.75 




2.50 








3.00 






2.625 




3.00 








3.50 






3.00 




3.00 








2.50 






3.00 




3.00 








3.50 






3.25 




3.00 








2. 375 






3.00 




2. 625 






1 


3.75 






2.25 




2.50 






\ 


■2.75 






2.625 




2.375 








3.00 






2.875 




2. 625 








2.50 






2.25 




2.50 








3.125 






2.75 




2.50 








3.25 






3.00 




2.75 








2.50 






2.75 




2.75 








3.125 






2. 625 




2.50 




Actual measurements in 




2. 625 






2. 875 




3.00 




centimillimeters. i 


3. 375 






3.00 




2. 125 






■ 


2.875 






2.50 




2.375 






1 


3.50 






2.75 




3.00 








2.375 






2.50 




2.75 








3.50 






2.75 




2. 625 








2. 75 






2.50 




2.875 








2.75 






3.00 




2. 125 








3.25 






2.875 




3.00 








2. 625 






3.00 




2.75 








3.00 






2.875 




2.50 








2. 625 






2.75 




2. -tO 








3 125 






2.625 




2.50 








2. 75 






2.75 




3.00 








2. 875 






2.375 




2.25 








3.00 






3.125 




2.75 








2.00 






3.25 




3. 25 








3.375 






2.25 




2.875 








3.25 






3. 375 




3.25 








3.50 






2.625 




2.75 








2.50 






.3. 25 




3.00 








2.75 






2. 75 




2.50 








3.00 






2.75 




3.00 








3.25 






3.25 




2 50 








3.00 






3.25 




2.50 








2.25 






.3.00 




2.75 




A veragi* 




3.015 






2.878 




2.748 




i 

a 


05 


'o 


a 


no 


"S 


a s , 


o 




j5 


5.d 
a o 


X . 

a-a 




"3 .a 
a o 


H 




a 2 


a.a 




Is 


§ a 
s a 


■|« 




03 _a 

la 






c5 a 

la 






o 






a« 


J3 

o 


a a 


a ♦^ 

o 


o 


« a 







a 


a 


a 


a 


a 


a 


a 


a 




M 


M 


M 


M 


M 


hH 


M 


M 


M 


Kec'opitiilation : 




















Hi^'lleat 3.875 


1. 5255 


els 


4.625 


1. 8208 


sb 


3.50 


1. 3779 


^h 


Lowe.st 2.00 


0. 7874 


t:SR9 


2.25 


0. 0858 


Tt'eS 


2. 125 ' 0. 8366 


TI55 


Average 3.015 


1. 1870 


T 

alt 


2.878 


1. 1330 


lij 


2.748 1 1.0818 

i 


5JT 


jS'uniber of measurements 
















above average 


■[ 


21 






19 




30 








XnnibiM' of measurements I 
















bclo w average . ......... 


•! 


29 






31 




20 








i Yellow 


Japanes 
berry. 


e; mul- 


Yellow 
a 


Japane 
^e orang 


.He; Os- 
e. 


Riley's yello-w 
ne'ae; Osage 
11 years. 


r Japa- 

orange ; 



60 BULLETIN NO. 3, DIVISION OF ENTOMOLOGY. 

Table I. — Measurements of the fineness of rate silk — Coutiuued. 



Catalogue number of sam- 
ples. 



Actual measurements in 
ceutimillimeters. ) 



IV. 



Average . 



Kecapltulation : 

Higlie.st 

Lowest 

Average 

Number of measurements 
above average 

Natuber of measurements 
below average 



2.375 

2. 50 

2.00 

2.75 

2.00 

2.50 

2.75 

2.50 

2.50 

2.25 

2.75 

2. 875 

2. 625 

2. 125 

2.375 

2.75 

3.00 

•>. 375 

2.75 

2.25 

2.75 

2.75 

2.50 

2.75 

2.25 

2.125 

2.625 

2.75 

2.375 

2. 625 

2.50 

2.75 

2. 625 

2.75 

2.50 

2.375 

2.50 

2.50 

2.25 

3.25 

2. 625 

2.00 

2.50 

2. 125 

2. 625 

2.50 

2.75 

2.375 

2.50 

2.375 



2.513 



i 


OS 


s 


^ . 






Bf, 


c 
cc a 


•43 S 


- a 


a*" 


c a 









"^o 


a 


a 


M 


M 


3.25 


1. 2735 


2.00 


0. 7874 


2.513 


0. 9893 



Co 



15! B5 



V. 
Tellow. 



2.125 

2.50 

2.50 

2.50 

2.375 

2.25 

2.375 

2. .10 

2.25 

2.50 

2.50 

2.25 

1.875 

2. 125 

2.75 

2.50 

2.50 

2.00 

2.75 

2.i5 

2.875 

2.50 

2. 375 

2.50 

2.25 

2. .50 

2. 50 

2.375 

2. .50 

2 75 

2. 50 

3.25 

3.00 

1.875 

1.75 

2.75 

2. 375 

2.75 

2. 025 

2. 375 

2.50 

2.75 

2. V5 

3.00 

2.75 

2. 625 

2. .50 

2.00 

2. 25 

2.875 



2.405 



3.25 i 1.2735 

1. 75 1 0. 6889 

2. 465 ! 0. 9704 



21 



Riley's white Japa- 
nese : Osage orange; 
11 J ears. 



20 



V. 
While. 



2.00 

2.50 

3.00 

2.75 

2. 625 

2. 25 

2.50 

2.25 

3.00 

2. .50 

2.50 

3.00 

2. 25 

2. .375 

2.00 

2.50 

2.00 

2.50 

2. 50 
2.25 
2.50 
2. 125 
3.00 

3. 25 
2. 37.> 
2. 75 
2.50 
3.00 
2. 25 
2. .50 
2.50 
2.125 
2. 125 

1. 875 
2.-5 

2. 25 
£51 
2. 75 
2.37.5 
2.25 
2.50 
3.25 
2.75 
3. 125 
.3. 0(1 
2. 25 
2. 25 
2.75 
3.00 
2. 50 



2.528 





a 


<« 


s 


^ 


"^ 




TS j: 
















.S £ 




'■5 a 


B-*- 


*' c 


« S 





c: s 


a 


a 


a 


H 






3.25 


1.2735 




1.875 


0. 7380 




2.528 


0. 9952 


1055 



33 



Fasuach's black Thi- 
bet. 



Fasnach's black Thi- 
bet. 



MEASUREMENTS OF THE FINENESS OF RAW SILK. 
Table I. — Measurements of the fineness of raw silk — Continued. 



61 



Catalogue number of sam- 
ples. 


VI. 


VII. 


vni. 


r 


2.50 


3.50 


2.75 




2.50 


2.75 


2.00 




3.125 


3.00 


2.00 




2.00 


3.00 


2.50 




3.125 


3.25 


2.50 




1 3.00 


2.025 


3.00 




3.00 


2.50 


2.50 




2.75 


3.00 


2.625 




2.125 


3.00 


2.375 




2.75 


3.25 


2.50 




2.125 


3.50 


2.375 




3.50 


3.375 


3.50 




2. 75 


2.50 


2.00 




2. 25 


2. 875 


2.50 




2. 875 


2.75 


2.50 




3.00 


3.50 


2.25 




2.25 


3.00 


2. 625 




3.00 . 


3.25 


2. 375 




2. 75 


2. 50. 


2.75 




2. 375 


2.75 


2.50 




2.50 


3.50 


2.00 




3.25 


3.50 


2.50 




3. 375 


3. 00 


2.50 




2.50 


3.25 


2. 25 


Actual lueasurements in 


3.00 


2.875 


2.25 


(■entimillimeters. 


3.00 


3 25 


2.50 




2.625 


3.00 


2.50 




2.75 


3.00 


2.75 




3.50 


2.875 


2.375 




2. 875 


3.00 


2.50 




3.25 


2.75 


2.50 




2.875 


2. 875 


2.00 




2 50 


2. 75 


3.00 




2.50 


4.25 


2. 25 




2.875 


3.25 


2.00 




3.25 


2.50 


.3.25 




2.75 


3. 125 


2. 25 




3.50 


2.75 


2. 25 




2.875 


2.25 


2.75 




3. 25 


2.75 


2.50 




3.50 


3. .50 


2.25 




3.00 


3. 25 


2. 625 




3.50 


3.00 


2.75 




3.00 


2.75 


3.00 




.3.00 


3.00 


2.25 




2.50 


3.50 


2. 375 




3. 00 


2.75 


3.00 




2. 51) 


3.125 


2.50 




2.50 


3.25 


2. 25 



3.37 



Average 


2.86 


3.038 


2.485 




i 

a 

5 
|l 

s 
u 

p 

M 


,15 

5 .a 
a o 
c3 a 

|i 

o 
a 


o 

00 

.2~ 

43 a 
2 a 

9 
M 


a 
a £ 

a 

M 


no 

.a 

|.a 
i rt 

.a^ 
a 


o 
i a 


6 
g 

a ? 

o 

p 

M 


.a 

1 a 
a q 

o s 

■*" o 

a 


o 
<« . 

tS a 

r: 

M 


llecapitulatiou : 
Highest .. . 


3.50 
2.00 
2.86 


1. 3779 
0. 7874 
1. 1259 


B9S 


4.25 
2.25 
3.038 


1. 6732 
0. 8858 
1. 1960 


4. 

Tl59 
835 


3.50 
2.00 
2.485 


1. 3779 

0. 7874 
0. 9783 
















Number of measurements 
above average 


27 


20 


29 






Number of measurements 
below average 


23 


30 


21 








C 
French 


/rozier's 
from Ce 


venne.s. 


Fr« 


Crozier'a 
nch Bla 
onii.s w! 


Ck. 

lite. 


Fr 
W 


Croziers 
ench Bla 
orms dii 


ck. 
■k. 



02 BULLETIN NO. 3, DIVISION OF ENTOMOLOGY. 

The table will for the most part explain itself. The records of actual 
measurements are stated in centimillimeters, and at the foot of each col- 
umn of these is given the averageof the thirty measurements represented 
in each one respectively. 

In the recapitulation we give reductions of these averages to thou- 
sandths of an inch, and to fractions of an inch expressed in the vulgar 
fraction, in order that the figures may be more easily comprehended by 
all to whom they may be presented. In the same section we have given, 
similarly reduced, the highest and lowest measurements taken on each 
sample, while in down lines will be found a series of figures showing 
the number of measurements found above and below the average re- 
spectively. These serve to show at a glance the range of the measure- 
ment, and therefore ex])ress the degree of evenness and regularity found 
throughout the length of the fibre of each sample. They will therefore 
serve, to some extent, as an indication of the comj)arative value of the 
several samples. 

At the extreme bottom of each column is given a copy of the inscrip- 
tion found on the box inclosing the sample represented. For the better 
comparison of the several samples w^e may submit the following con- 
densed table giving the averages of the measurements stated in centi- 
millimetres and thousandths of an inch : 



Number of samples. 


ii. 

C CI « 

pi 

c fl g 


i s . 
S B o 
K- a «. 


I . . .. 


3.015 

2.878 

2.748 

2. 513 

2.465 

2.528 

2.86 

3.038 

2.485 


1.1870 


II 


1. 1330 


Ill 


1. 0818 


IV 


0. 9893 




0. 9724 


V White . 


0. 9952 


VI 


1. 12!5» 


VII 


1. 1960 


vin 


0. 9783 







The differences here shown appear to be sufficiently wide to illustrate 
any differences in the condition of feeding and management to which 
the worms may have been subject during their development, but the 
data we have will not warrant our entering into any discussion of these 
interesting relations. There can be no doubt, however, that the com- 
plete history of the worms will furnish material for exceedingly inter- 
esting and valuable comparisons in this particular. 

Measurements of strength and stretch. — The determinations of the tensile 
strength of the fibres were effected by the aid of a dynamometer spe- 
cially constructed for use in the examination of avooIs and cottons, 
and described in "A Preliminary Report on the Examination of Cotton " 
submitted to the Honorable Commissioner of Agriculture in 1882. This 



TESTS OF THE STEENGTH OF SILK FIBRES. 63 

iustrumeut is so constructed that the strain to which the fibre is sub- 
jected to break it, and the stretch it sustains previous to rupture, are 
simultaneously taken and recorded, and we have, therefore, to present 
in this connection two sets of results. 

In making these tests the following method was employed : In the 
first place the cocoons were cut open and their layers separated, or they 
were submitted to the action of hot water and the fibres wound off upon 
pieces of card-board, each process furnishing the "dry" and "wet" 
specimens respectively described in a preceding paragraph. From the 
loose fibre thus obtained sections of suitable length were taken at ran- 
dom for the individual tests, the '•'■ iceV specimens having been previ- 
ously thoroughly dried. The two clamps holding the fibres in the in- 
strument during the tests were carefully set at a distance of 20 milli- 
meters apart, so that this distance represents the length of the fibre 
submitted to the strain. Experiments with woolen fibres showed this 
distance to give the most uniform and satisfactory results, and is, there- 
fore, accepted as a standard for all our work. Although no special ex- 
periments were made with this regard on the silk examined, there is 
little doubt that it would be found equally satisfactory. 

In this part of the examination as in the measurements of fineness, 
we have adopted 30 as the best number of fibres to be tested to secure a 
satisfactory average, and as before, each separate result obtained was 
entered upon the record to be employed in any comparisons that it may 
appear to be desirable to name. For their more ready comparison the 
results obtained with the "f?rj/" and "ireit" specimens, respectively, are 
placed side by side. The following table contains the results we have 
obtained : 



64 



BULLETIN NO. 3, DIVISION OF ENTOMOLOGY. 



•qa^QJtS 



■ni'BaiJs 



I " 



•qo^9J?S 



o ^ »f^ o irt lO o o o ift in »i^ lo kft in 

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•niuaijg 



•qo^aa^S 



•UlBUg 



•qo^Mjg 



•niBug 



•qo^9J!JS 



•aiBifS 



•qo^ang 



•ni8.i:)S 



•qD!>9J>g 



•aiLMfs 



■q3^9j;S 



■urej^g 



2 o ic o o in »^ o in lo it5 o ift lo o in 
g o N U-. o I- (M o t- t~ t- o eg t- = (N 

. o o 1?^ i*^ tft o to o lO <rs o o o m »ft 

^ rH 1-5 Ci re (TJ Ci »-H Tt CO C^i M CC C^i rH i-H 

^glAOOOlCOOOOOOOOOO 

S I— lO o lO M u*: iO o o o o »rt >o lo lo 
omiftioooiooooooiftoio 

j*00(*^CO^CC^C-JC0'^CCCCCOCCCQ^ 
JScOCOM-^OiOO'-'iOodi-Hi-HT-Hi-^t-H 
3aC5r-lrHCCCOCOC^COCOCO"^^WCOCV5 



°Sooooioinooooooooir; 

SoOOOt^t^OiCiOOOiOOiOiT) 

JSo'^rHr-5i-H^ooco>-HC'i'rioc^it-i 



. O O i« lO lO o o o < 



> lo m in m ic ift 



§c4cooJwcO'^c4(roc4i-?M-^cJooco 



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Sc-liCOWlOOOt— I^tM*Ct— C200 



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Sooooooiootctftomooo 

g l>t- O t* <OONiCCMI>OMOOO 

OWOOCOW-^OJrHOrHOOCOCiwOCi 



•" 0! 

2 
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o 




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tH 

w 


^ in w -^ 


35 






2 in in M 






















~ ■«< ina 






2 


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»i in in in 








o MCJin 






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2in-*cr 
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a 


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TESTS OF THE STRENGTH OF SILK FIBRES. 



65 



1 




s 


<D 

1 
> 


•qo^aa^g 




00 


•m^j^S 


«oinoinio>noiOinocooinoo 
gcjociiNCJOiMt-ooowt-ino 


o 
TJ1 


g oi -J oj o o5 00 00 o OS o c 00 x i> 00 


■Tlo;9j;s 


mm. 
3.50 
1.75 
3.00 
4.00 
2.25 

2. 50 
2.25 

3. 25 
3.00 
3.00 
1. 25 
2.25 
2.75 

4. 00 
3.00 


in 


•mvii<s 


ociftoomcoin>ftomoo=>oo 
gMoiot-oowi>oNicoinom 

eoo6ocososooO!oso50soJo5QO-Jo 


f. 

1 


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p 
1 


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inioooinoooioooinoi-'jin 
icoffcicoc4c4e4ci-HMcce'J-^ficq« 


o 
cj 

CO 


•niBj^g 


Grams. 
8.50 
8.50 
9.75 
8.00 
8.00 
7.50 
6.00 
9.00 
8. 00 
8.25 
6.00 
5.00 
6.00 
5.50 
6.50 


o 
in 

d 


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in 


gcirH^MCtirHi-ir.irHCJ — rHrHNCq 


Grams. 

9.25 
12.25 

8.00 
10.75 
10.00 

7.75 

11. .50 
10.75 

5.50 
10. 25 
8. 75 
6.75 
8. 00 
10. 50 

12. 50 


•<* 


1 ■ - 

: 1 

M 


•Tl0^8J;g 1 ri _• Ci TQ ^ -• « .-0 -^ r^ « -1 - -; rH 


in 


1 

Grams. 
4.00 

5. 50 
6.25 

3. 25 

6. 25 
3.75 

4. 00 
3.50 
4.50 
5.25 
3. 25 
5.25 
5.00 
4.50 
3.25 




•Tio^gijg 


ociooirtoosocu'sinooo 
..iOLit^ccaooouicc-t-oino 


OS 




S in t- o t~ i-i o C) o i~ c: => n i-o c~ = 
•UTBJJS 1 M s-i 5-i r^i N !>: ci m C5 = = i i 00 cj 


o 
o 

to 










"o 


1 
1 

i 

1 


X 


t 


a 

2.x 

X S. 

S 'i 

3^ Z 

s 
< 



Sojin^ 



5 IN in M 





%. 

(? 


CJ r-l 


s 


o o o 
o ooo 




in rH N 







s ro in in 

6 ^ CO 00 
_~ OC TO-H 




? io rt rt 



,«2 OJ -H •iS' 

53 ij-i t-^ .^ 



gSoM 



; 3 o t- 
: Ln i-i f i 



g O O l- 

8 o ?i o 

6" 



S-:i<! 



OS cS 

o ° 



o o 



5135- 



66 



BULLETIN NO. 3, DIVLSION OF ENTOMOLOGY. 







o in o o 1.*. in in in o o o m in in m i 
_ in CI o = ci ci t- I- = o s: t- t- ci c- 


in 

Cl 


•qo^oj^S 


g «■ « cj ci CO ci r-i cc r; « ci .-1 r-i ci 1-5 
5 


.CO 


•UIBUJS 


S? o o oo inooomoooomin 
g = o o m ci o m m t- o o o in ti cj 


o 
oi 


s 

k. 




Soct-^odcDodt>05dooi:-:.-not^t-» 


1 




1 c o o ic o o o in o i-o ..-: m m in in 
^ m = U-: c~ o t^ in CI o t> t~ oi I- (M 1^1 

1 


in 

C] 

o 

CO 

o 
o 

in 


« IS o o lo o li: ui I.-: \r> o i.^ lo o o o 

S Cl L^ O C^ O C^ C^3 t^ t> O C-l t^ O C^ O 
I •nilJJlg S o to t> l> to !^' «0' » X O ci -j' l> 00 t-^ 

1 1 ^ 




oominoooo'ininoinmoin 
^ m o ci t^ o o m in d c3 o CI ci o ci 


in 




•il.ny.i4s 

i 


ge6«'.s!ci-*in-*-*r-<ricicici-*-* 


O ' 


1 


•^ o o o o o o o m o m o in m o m 
~ o m o o m m o ci o ci o cj t- c ci 


in 

Cl 

CO 




SoarJsiosioJcioiriininiricioi 


P 
1 


1 
•qoions 


oinininmininooinininininin 
^inc^L— cicicai>oocii>C4t^c<ii:* 

^ciTj;ci-<*cqm-*-*ciciT);T);r-i.-oci 




•areajS 


°?oinoinoininoinooinooin 
gint^ot^ot^t^incjoocioot^ 


in 
d 

1 


S in CD (O u' m 00 CO 05 OS X* rH oi ci o o 


09 

ai 


•qo^aj'^S 


oinininooooinoinooinin 
^ in t- o ci o o o o ci o din o ci 1^ 

g r-: rt « r-i « ci -H ci ci rH CO ci ci ci CO 


CO 

CO 


"-ooininoooinoooomininin 
~ <= c) i> in o m t- in in o in iM (M oi m 

■nreajg S -i; « m' ri ri co' tj; in « in !^i u-: ci ci ci 


in 




■qo}a.HS 


ininoooinmoinininoooo 
-:c]t>ooinc~i>ini>cit-ooino 


in 

in 

o 
o 

in 


1 

1 

> 


^OOcit-HrH^-^cirHCCCi'^COCCCOCC 


w = in = oino = inoooininunin 
5 .n ci o o ci in = M m in o o ci I- 1~ 


v.— Dry yellow, split flbrea. 


•qoia.ns 


in in o m = c; o <= in m in in in in in 
^ ci i^ o c~ => o o in cj ci t^ CI ci cj d 

S ei CO Tf ci CO in Ti; Tt CO CO ci CO ci CO CO 


•nivjis 


2oooooinooo = ininininin 
ginooinin<rj = ooocit-cai>c- 


o 
m 


S-*'oJitTii-*-*in-^Tr^cocococico 

6 ' 


•qoja.tts 


. in in in m in in m m m m o in o o in 
~ i> C3 Ci c^ d t^ t^ o t^ ci in i> o in ci 


o 
o 

o 


s CO CO i-i ci i-( CO ci m -* in co' ci CO in CO 


•ni'BJ^s 


2ooo = ocooooooinoin 
ginoininooooominint-ocji 

^ininf'ino-'iJTrininTiHcococoinT^ 

«5 


1 « 
o 

to 










'r 
cl 




c 

b 

<: 


! 

; 


B 




= O CO 

ci in 00 



: t- o in 

! ^ -H ci 



SdCOd 



J CO !>■* 

Bo- 



^V ® CO in 



gincioo 
8 to ci CO 



c in 
2t-:!ot^ 



d >-H , rS 



i in CI -^ 
; in M CO 



« * C3 

5j^ 



(C CO 






TESTS OF THE STRENGTH OF SILK FIBRES. 



67 





•qo^ajJS 


4n 1(5 3 I.-: !.•> o ift in uc 
_ in c-5 c^ M = t- t- ?j c- M [~ in 


in 
I- 


g yq CO i-H ro ■* in' li — ri ri « ri m M « 




•m^jtlg 


Sooininooooooooinoo 
goo(N^ini.nooocioo«ino 


ira 






1 

> 


2.00 
2.75 
3.00 
2. 25 
3.00 
2. ."io 
1.25 
3.00 
2. 00 
3.00 
2.25 
1.75 
2. 75 
2. 25 
3! 00 


in 
d 

CO 


•m^Jlg 


Soioinommooinoooinoo 

gOlNCJOt-SMOOriOOONOO 



i-n 


g M — « im' — d Ci — — 05 Ot 00 r-i 




1 

i-i 
> 


•qD;a.r}s 


oininininmininininini.'^ooo 
^ c^ ci ci CI C3 1^ t- ^j rj c; C3 in 


in 


1 "^ "* CO •* ■* re CO ci ci -H ^ r-i ci ^ 


•mi3.i4g 


2oooooooinoinoininoio 
g in in in c<i m ci m c] d in C3 


in 

cd 
I:- 


e 10 in ic5 -* m ^ CO co' N c-i i-T t-^ iri i> tt! 

~_„rtrHrtrH_rHrHrHrH 


.a 
u 

mm. 
4.00 
4.75 
2.50 
4.00 
1.25 
1.75 
3.25 
5.25 
4.00 
3.75 
1.75 
2.50 
2.75 
3.50 
3.00 


CO 

•* 


•mnjig 


2ooo=iOoinoooooinoo 
~ in = ci =1 u-: m t- 





d 

00 


gddx-(Ocdc-^dinro"CO — CO-* 


6 
2 

1 


.a 

mm. 
2.75 
2.75 
2.00 
2.25 
1.75 
2.25 
1.75 
3. 00 
1.75 
3. 75 
1.75 
2. 25 
1.75 
2. 50 
2.75 







•niBJig 


•coooinoo — omooininins 
s:t~io=.oiinoo=;ciooiMCJt-o 


1.0 


S d = c. s ai — oc rt d =; 00 Oi = x d 


-* 


•qD:>a,ng 


mm. 
2.75 
4. 00 
2.00 
2.00 
3.00 
1.75 
2.75 
3.50 
2.75 
4.00 
1.75 
1. 25 
1.75 
3.00 
3.00 


m 

ICJ 

d 

CO 


•UIBUg 


Grams. 
11.00 

10. 50 

11. 75 
11. 25 
11.25 

9.75 
11. 25 
11.00 
11.25 
11.00 
R. 75 
7.00 
8. 00 
10. 00 
11.00 


in 

3 


v.— Dry white. 


•qoijai^g 




§ 

d 

CO 


g fo c-i ^i CO ^ i-H -H ^ ^ M ,-H ci ^ ci c^ 


•UlBUg 


=« u^ L-: »A 1« ic u-ti m 
g i> t^- m c^^ ~ iT-t Ti cj ir: r I c^ 






1 

•qajoj^g 


ininininininoininooinomo 
^•cqcqc-ciiMMC5Ci«oint-int^in 



in 

ci 

■* 


5cicor-;cicicocococo-*coojirq.-ico 


•niBiig 


goinoininoinooooooino 
socjot-t^ot-inooininot^io 


in 

N 

oi 

0. 


STc'-aiTtcococct-'doii^odxxf^od 

6 


c 
J 

<_ 
c 
(• 
a. 

\ 

c 

t 

c 
1 


1 




. 






Actual mea.snrtMnents in grams aud 
millimeters. 


c 
u 







. L 










, 












~ — 1 » CO 
















a, 


1 




tO-3< 












m 


i"'-'"" 


in 






2» 00 !0 








.S^-f" 








Soocooa 






n 


>3SS^ 


fl 




CS 




cS 
u 














w 


P COodrH 
























h d iri in 






.d 


^- - 


■ A 




10 





t>co 




















CO 


s . . . 

SiniH CO 


03 












.sSgSS 














ed_:uri 






a 


e^S"2 


n 




CS 


















OQ 


gcaeq 
gi-^irieq 








.kjoino 
















h ddcrq 






1 


^. . 


.a 



mm 














^ONtX 






CO 


CO 




















*" 
















gCO !-!■* 














n 
1 




a 
's 




y3rH.-,rH 


00 oq 




.*^ 


ci in in 1-1 






e^^dd 


CO . 






»o" in 








« OCl rH 














A 




.a 




"? 






CO t- 












CO 




t» 














gcooo 














1 


V in '-* ^ 




co t> 












CO 


S t-(M 

So cod 


m 


1 














c 


tf 


1 
1 

r 




























w 














II 














.0 © 














*.o 
















































a 




CB » . 












^ jf C8 




%~<M 




Bl® 




1 

d d 




fr 




< 






;z 


1? 


1 



68 



BULLETIN NO. 3, DIVISION OF ENTOMOLOGY. 



•qoj9a;S 



i« m o o "O m o o 1."; « = o c c >« 



•UI'BJJg 



•tjoiwis 



•ni'BJJS 



•qoi8.iJS 



9- 



•qo;9JJS 



•ntuj^s 



2 o o i.*^ u-r o kA c o l;^ o o o o o m 
g o o t~ w o C' o o c^i m o o s^i ir; C4 

g >-i IH CO ei5 CJ m Ci r-J p-J ri i-i to CT r-i <-< 
g Cl C) L"^ u-^ t^ t* »A O O O t^ t^ Cl Cl O 

J5 

iniaininoinoooinoooom 
S'*NcimMciror4c>5e>icoi'ico?4co 

S cq t- ffv) C'l t^ Cl t^ CI — C-3 O C3 O O *1 

JS ot t-i 00 cc M O! 00 oi 03 o i> ir: t-' "ii <o 






•qoiaajs 



•m-BJis 



•qoasjis 



•HIBJJS 



•qoi9j;s 



•UIBJJg 



•qO}8.lJS 



•utBj;s 



?? O m in l^ O lO O O — ^t O w kC o o 

g c<i t^ c^i i> i> i> o »r^ ir; cq o — ci »r: o 

goot^odt-^odojoiotjaioiociodo 

lA O O O O lO O in I." iC O L*^ O w O 

Si-icJ->a'?it<5cicie-ic^r-HcoccNM«' 



5ooooooc»r;inoou*u'tmo I 

g O O m in un O O C^ Cl »A v-~ CI M c^ in j 

J3 d d c: d ri 'tJ ci c-i d d 0? ci ^ as d 



ininooininmooooooino 
SOt-ooMi— i>inooinoot~o 



Sooinmoooiftoinoooino 
goooi'Mooint>inc'iooot>-o 

^drH'-*dr-^c<idd'M"r^dcidd-^ 

inoinooinininmo — oom — 
^t^ot^oinc^t^c^c^ioininwCim 

§eocofOMcocoMcioi'^co«-*cofo 
S 

*?ooooooinooinoinooo 
Sinoooinoc^inincjoc^ocin 

Co5 0:oiddot>»n;Di^ir^c^t^oc5 



. o o in I 



: o m m I 



; o o c^] t^ 73 o ci t^ t^ 3 in in c^i o t> 
■ rt ri -^ *r rt 7J c\ t6 -rr n re in Ti 



5ooininmooiooinoinooo 
ginos^c^t~ooc^in?ioiMin = io 

S 00 oc 00 OS t> CO CO c>i -- oi -* e-i c-' in ■^ 



g a 
as 







o 








1 




^^ dttici 














■♦J 


^ 


1 


2§ 












« 




X 






*« t-00 
















8,^t^t-: 










■5 




.9 

03 


^.^ rH 


o-. — 


2= = t- 

S in o O) 


tf. 






S 00 in o 














»i mino 








»(Nff<l ■* 














-2 


^- - 


"o 


-T 






9 












en 


g(NC-l O 
S ■* rHCO 


m 


























































1 ^ 


~!Dt-CO 


s 




C9 


^^ 


-5 






Z 


^ t-i 


m 


Kin o m 
g d la 00 
















u OIM t- 


1 






h dtON 








^- - 


"o 


;:2 1 


















^ 


S •* '-i ci 


VI 


1 












s — . ojin 
















ed =■- d 










1 




'S 


i;K, <M w ^ 


c-100 






2 = = in 






cc 


!2 


xn 






*i oin o 








« O MO> 














-2 


^c^^ 





(MOO 




^ 








cc 


g tOM CO 


m 














,5: in 00 in 








e.j-): t>: 






n 


<;50J —( 







1 








OJ 


gin irioi 


VI 
















a 














bCbC 












C3 CS 
























» » 












t» > 












e8 c« 












|l 












^ (B 












e8.a 












« B 
































«s 




S» !« 




"^ *- 










I^t^ 















m 


I-) 


< 




7^ 


(Z! 


1 



TESTS OF THE STRENGTH OF SILK FIBRES. 69 

Here, as before, we have given the actual measurements takeu, the 
strains being stated in grams and the stretch in millimeters and per 
cents. In the recapitulation we have prepared a statement showing 
the averages of all the measurements takeu with each sample respect- 
ively, as well as the highest and lowest results obtained in each, the 
strain in each case being reduced to grains and the stretch to per cents 
of the length. This will make the figures more intelligible to all who 
may be interested in them, and will render a comparison much more easy. 
In the lower lines we find a statement showing the number of measure- 
ments found above or below the average, as the case may be, for each 
sample. 

In explaining the method of measuring the fineness reference has 
been made to the peculiar structure of the fibre, resultiug from the 
mode of its production. This structure was decidedly marked in " dry " 
No. Y. Here very many of the fibres were sidit either before the test 
or became split by the strain or at the instant of rupture. We find 
upon comparison of the results obtained in the tests of the split fibres 
in tests of whole fibres from the same cocoons that the latter are very 
considerably stronger than the former, though as regards the percent- 
age of stretch there appears to be no very material ditiereuce between 
the two. And another i)eculiarit3' in the relations of the two is that the 
strength of the whole fibre appears from the averages to be about double 
that of the split fibres. Let us bring these averages togetlier for more 
ready comparison. It will suffice to express the strain as grams : 



Split, 
gramd. 



V (drv yellow) ! 4.28 

V (dry white) ..i 3.85 



Whole, 
grams. 



8.32 
6.29 



On the other hand it may be mentioned that the uniformity in the 
streugth of the fibres as regards the strain they are able to bear pre- 
vious to rujiture, as represented in the number of measurements found 
above and below the averages respectively, appeal's to be greater in the 
vsplit fibres. The most important difference appears therefore to be in 
the strain representing the strength of the fibre, showing the impor- 
tance of the more complete cementation of the fibres together as they 
issue from the spinnerets of the worms ; and we may also learn from this 
something of the importance of maintaining the healthy and vigorous 
condition of the worms during their development, and more especially 
during the period when they are spinning their cocoons. The vigor 
and activitj' of the insects at the time may be very materially stimu- 
lated by careful regulation of the temperature, ventilation, and light, 
and not only the value of the fibre with this regard, but the condition 
and appearance of the cocoon, upon which its market value largely 
dei)ends, may be modified by these relations. In this rather critical 



70 BULLETIN NO. 3, DIVISION OF ENTOMOLOGY. 

period of the insect'sexistence, when from the eircuinstauces the extreme 
care maiutaiued throughout its development is likely to be relaxed, the 
silk-grower should be particularly watchful and observe the greatest 
care in keeping up the most favored conditions for the changes the 
young insect is about to undergo during the period here referred to. 

These cortsideratious will also serve to attract attention to the im- 
portant influence of the methods employed industrially in reeling the 
silk from the cocoon upon the value of the staple. We have seen that 
when the separate fibres issuing from the spinnerets of the worm are 
fairly cemented together they are stronger than when they are not thus 
combined. And if we look over the Table II, given above, we shall find 
that when the cocoons have been wet, or have been soaked in hot water 
in order to separate the fibre, the latter as a general rule is stronger 
than when it has been separated dry. In the process of reeling the 
fibre becomes thoroughly soaked and saturated Avith water, so that the 
glutinous character becomes perfectly developed. As a result the 
primary fibres are more completely cemented together, while the ulti- 
mate fibres brought into contact passing to the reel are combined so 
perfectly that a maximum of strength must be secured. The influences 
of moisture upon the strength of the fibres will be noted u]:»on compar- 
ison of the averages given in Table II. For convenience in making this 
comparison we have collected the necessary figures in the following 
table : 





No. of samples. 


Average strain required 
for rupture. 


Dry reeling. 


Wet 


reeling. 


I 




1 g 36 




11.43 
12.39 
9.36 ' 
9. .33 , 

7.80 > 

9.81 

U. 18 

11.05 

6.97 


ir 




8 05 


Ill 




5 78 


IV : 




7 6S 


V (yellow) 




8 32 


V (white) 




6 29 


VI 




r^. 04 


VII 




9. 56 


YIII 




... . . ' 8. 59 









We find here that, as a general rule, the higher results are in favor 
of the fibres that were reeled wet. The exceptions found are in sam- 
ples Y (yellow), VI, and VIII, and these may doubtless be explained by 
facts in the history of which we are not in possession. 

In the table of results obtained with the dynamometer we have, as 
in the preceding relating to fineness, given in the recapitulation the 
highest and lowest as well as the average of the measurements taken. 
Below these may be found statements showing the number of measure- 
ments found above and below the average respectively. These figures 
serve to show the uniformity of the fibres with regard to the qualities 
represented. The extension of the fibre under the strain necesssary to 



TESTS OF THE STRENGTH OF SILK FIBRES. 7 L 

rupture is expressed iu millimeters in a length of twenty millimeters of 
fibre, as well as in ])er cents. No special exi)eriments were made to 
determine the limits of elasticity, and though the stretch will vary 
somewhat with the length of libre held between the clamps of the in- 
strument, limiting thus the character of the results, yet for the purixjse 
of comparison the figures we have given will proAC amply sufficient, 
and they will clearly show the differences in the quality and value of 
the samples submitted to examination. 

Other qualities of the fibre and the cocoons have suggested them- 
selves for investigation in the course of this work, but their examina- 
tion has been precluded by the limited time at our disposal for the 
present study of this staple. We, therefore, submit these results in the 
hope that they may serve the ends desired. 



EXPLANATION TO PLATES 



PLATE I. 

COSSUS CENTERENSIS. 

1. Group of eg^s as deposited, natural size. 

2. Egg maguitied 9 diameters. 

3. Caterpillar from time of emerging to October 14 — four months' growth 

4. Caterpillar of one year and four months' growth. 

5. Caterpillar of two years and four months' growth. 

6. Mature caterpillar, three years old ; ready to pupate. 

7. Pupal cell. 

8. Male jjupa. 

9. Female pupa. 

10. Male Cossus, unspread. 

11. Female Cossus. 

12. Female Cossus, showing ovipositor. 

PLATE II. 

COSSULA MAGNIFICA. 

1. Pupa case of Cossula maguifica. 

2. Cossula magnifica. Male. 

3. Cossula maguitica. Female. 

4. Cossus querciperda. Male. 

5. Cossus querciperda. Female. 

6. Cossus angrezi. Female. 

PLATE III. 
Silk fibres. 

1. Fibre of white Cevennes race. 

2. Fibre of Crozier's black race. 

(Both figures magnified 240 diameters.) 

(72) 



Bulletin 3, Division of Entomolojry. Departinont of Agi'icultiire. 



Plate I. 




'« 





'%i^^:r' 




.,*i:.*i-*:>--^' 











COSSUS CBNTERENSIS. 



Bulletin 3, Diviaion of Entomology, Department of Ai;ricultiii'e. 



Plate II. 








'/» . ' ^^i 












i, 2, 3. COSSUI.A MAGNIFICA. 4, 5. COSSUS QUEKCIPEKPA. (i. COSSl S ANGUEZI. 



I 



Denl .t)l".\()i: I'i'iiloiiKjlooical DiA'JHioii JJiilleliii :>. 



Flal.e in. 



•-.T-s'-''"\_Si§a6^. 



■'''^'•''^''^^a^sr- 



-^:5». 



t-' I a. 1 



,.#■'■ 




^' 



F16.2. 



S ILK FIBRK 



A-HoWLSroIiTlLur-aitsticBnlttiiK 



INDEX. 



A. 

Abies canadensis as a food-plant of the Army 

Worm, 11 
Acridida', various species, injurions to the cran- 
berry, 14 
Aletia. See Cotton Worm. 
Allium sativum as a food-plantof the Army Worm, 

11 
Ambrosia artemisiiefolia as a food-plant of Army 

Worm, 10 
AndeTson, Dr. E. H., report on the Cotton Worm 

in Texas in 1883, 30 
Anomis exacta, 36 
Army Worm. 

food-plants of. 9, 11 
barley. 9 
cabbage, 10 
carrot, 10 
clover, 10 
c;orn, 9 
cotton, 10 

cranberry, 11, 14, 15 
flax, 9 
fruit-trees, leaves of, 

9 
garden beet, 11 

lettuce, 11 
pea, 10 
poppy, 10 
German millet, 9 
oats, 9 
onion, 11 
parsnip, 11 
raddish, 10 
rag-weed, 10 
raspberry, 10 
rye, 9 

sorghum, 9 
strawberry, 10 
timothy, 9 
wheat, 9 
further notes on, 9 

in cranberry bogs of New Jer.sej', 9 
in 1883, 9 

B. 

Bailey, Dr. James S., death of, 8 

reference to report by, 8 
report on some of the North 
American (Jossida?, 49 
Barnard, Prof. W. S., report by, 38-47 
Berry moth of cranberry, 15 
Beta vulgaris as a food-plant of the Anny Worm, 

11 
Brassica oleracea as a food-plant of Army Worm, 
10 

5135 6 



Caripeta angnstioraria — 

description of larva, 24 

pupa and moth, 25 
injuring the pine, 24 
the pine, 24 
Cerambicida;, 55 
Cossida;, report upon, 8 

number of eggs deposited by various 
species of, 53 
Cossula magnifica, 55 
Cossns angrezi, description of female, 54 
centerensis, 8, 54, 55 

chrysalis of, infested by an ichneumon 

parasite, 52 
description of larva, 51, 53 
■ moth, 50 
pupa, 51 
distribution of, 53 
duration of larval life, 50 

pupa state, 53 
mode of issuing, 51, 52 
not as prolific <is other species, 53 
preferences of, 52 

resemblance to the bark of trees, 49 
crepara, 54 
eggs of, 52 

mode of deposition, 53. 
ligniperda, habits of, 52 
querciperda, ,'>0, 53, 54 
robinia;, 53, 54 
terebra, 50 
Cotton-growing district of South Texas, descrip- 
tion of, 34 
machine for spraying from below, 7 
moth, alleged limit of life, 31 
rows, crookedness of, 38, 39, 46 

ridges and furrows of, 38, 41, 43 
size and width of, 38, 39, 46 
Texas sea-island, a new variety, 32 
woim, formula of poison for destroying, 32 
its distribution in Texas, 36 
machinery for poisoning the, 7, 31, 

38-47 
poison, 33 

report iipon, in South Texas in 
1883, 30 
Cranbeny injured by Army Worms, 11 
injured by various locusts, 14 
insect remedies, 15 
tortricid, larva of, 15 
Cryptolechia schlagenella, 25 
description of larva, 25 
pupa, 26 
moth, 27 

(73) 



74 



INDEX. 



D. 

Dataua miiiistra, experiments with pyrethnim 

upon larva of. 21, 23 
Datura .stiaiiionimu hybridized with cotton, 31 
Daucus caiota as a food-plant of the Army Worm, 

11 
Dolei'us, a supposed species of, falsely accused of 

injuring the ciaubeny in New Jersey, 12 

E. 

Eddy-chamber nozzles, 42, 43, 47 
Emulsion of milk and kerosene, 45 
Eupithecia luteata compared with E. miserulata, 
24 
injuring the fir, spruce, and hem- 
lock, 25 
miserulata. 23, 24 

description of larva, 24 
pupa, 24 
injuring the cedar, 23 

F. 

Fall web-worm, e.xperimonts with pyrethnim up- 
on, 16 

Fragaiia virgiuieusis as a food-plant of the Army 
Worm, 10 



Gossypiuni herbacium as a food-plant of Army 
Worm, 10. 

H. 

Hawthorn Schizoneura, experiments with pyre- 
thrum upon, 23 

Howard, L. 0., experiments with pyrethrum, IG 

Hyphantria textor, experiments with pyrethrum 
upon larva of, 16, 17, 20 

Hypopta represented in the United States, 55 



Ichneumon, a species of, infesting chrysalis of 
Cossus centerensis, 52 



Jamestown weed, alleged hybrid with cotton, 31 
Jones, Mr. A. T., poisoning method used by, 39 

K. 

Kellogg, Rev. Elijah, statements by, concerning 

the spruce bud-worm, 27, 28 
Kerosene, effects of, on cotton, 45 



Lactuca sativa as a food-plant of the Army 

Wonu, 11 
Larch woiin, further data concerning, 28 
Leucania unipuncta. See Army "Worm 
Xocusts, various species, injurious to the cran- 
berry, 14 
Xiondon purple vn. the Cotton Worm, 4b 

M. 

Machinery for poisoning the Cotton Worm, 38-47. 
See Poisoning machinery 



McMurtrie, Dr. William, reference to report by, 
report on silk fibers, 568 
i^Iicrogaster congregatus, 14 
MUk-kerosene emulsion, 45 

N. 

Nematus erichsonii, 29 

egg-laying ot, 29 
Nozzles for poisoning, 42, 43, 47 

P. 

Packard, A. S., jr., notes on forest-tree insects, 

23-29 
Papaver somniferum as food-plant of Army 

"Worm, 10 
Paris green, Army "Worms killed with, 11 

for Cotton "Worm, 40 
Pastinaca sativa as a food-plant of the Army 

"Worm, 11 
Phaseolus vulgaris as a food-plant of the Army 

"Worm, 10 
Pionea rimosalis, experiment upon, with pyre- 

thium, 20 
Pisum sativum as a food-plant of the Army 

Worm, 10 
Plusia brassicae, experiments upon, vrith pyre- 
^ thrum, 20 

Poison for destroying Cotton Worm, 32 
Poison, recipe for early spring, against Cotton - 

"Worms, 35 
Poisoning machinery for the Cotton Worm, 38-47 
adjustability and flexility, 38, 43, 44, 45, 46 
best nozzles, 42, 43, 47 
clogging of nozzles, 42, 43 
cro8.s-pipes, 38, 43, 44, 46 
elevating, 44, 45, 46 
hose, 41 

inclined-pipe supports, 45 
joints, 43, 46 
nozzle arms, 38, 41, 42 
nozzle gangs, 42 
pipe hooks, 44 
stirrer pump, 40, 46 
strainers, 42 
top adjustment. 43-46 
milk-kerosene emalsion for, 45 
I'opulus tremuloides injured by Cossus center- 
ensis, 49 
Prionoxy.stus represented in United States, 55 
robiniae, .54, 55 
food-plants, 54 
description of imago, 55 
querciperda, description, 55 
PjTelhrum, experiments on Datana ministra, 21 
Hyphantria textor, 16 
Pionea rimosalis, 20 
Plusia bias.sicie, 20 
Schizoneura sp., 23 



K. 



Raphanus sativusas a food-plant of Army Worm, 

10 
Raw silk. See Silk 



INDEX. 



75 



Kockwood, Chiirles G., letters from, 11, 12, 13 
Rubua strigosus ;is a food-plaut of the Arm y 
Worm, 10 

S. 
Saw-fly ou cranberry, 12 

extent of injury, 12 
mode of attack, 12 
not tlie depredator, 13 
refusal of cranberry leaves by larva of, 13 
the larch. 28 
Schizoneura, experiments with pyrothrum upon , 

23 
Schwarz, E. A., report of, on observatious in the 

cranberry fields of Xew Jersey, 13 
Silk, measurements of — 
fineness, 57 

tables, 59, 60, 61 
strength and stretch, G2 
how obtained, 63 

tables giving results, 64, 65, 06, 67, 68 
preparation of, for examination, 57 



Spruce bud worm, further facts regarding the 

extent of the ravages of, 26 
Stirrer pump for poisoning, 40. See Poisoning 

machinery 



Tortricid larva on cranberry, 15 

mode of attack, 15 
Tortrix fumiferana on the coast of xMaine, 27 



V. 



Vitislabrusca as a food-plant of tlio Army Worm, 
10 



X. 



Xystus, 50 



o 



U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 
division of entomology. 

Bulletin No. 4. 



-b 
c '-'' 



1^5^ REPORTS 



OBSEPtVATIONS AND EXPERIMENTS 



THE PRACTICAL WORK OF THE DIVISION, 



UNDER THE DIRECTION OF THE ENTOMOLOGIST, 



TOGKTHER WITH 



EXTRACTS FROM CORRESPONDENCE ON MISCELLANEOUS INSECTS. 



WASHINGTON: 

GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE. 

1884. 



U.S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 
division of entomology. 

Bulletin No. 4. 



REPORTS 



OF 



OBSERVATIONS AND EXPERIMENTS 



THE PRACTICAL WORK OF THE DIVISION, 



UNDER THE DIRECTION OF THE ENTOMOLOCIST, 



TOGKTHER WITH 



EXTRACTS FROM CORRESPONDENCE ON MISCELLANEOUS INSECTS. 



WASHINGTON: 
GOVERNMENT FEINTING OFFICE. 

1884. 
8993-Bul. 4 ^^ 2^ 






1 

1 



so 






LETTER OF SUBMITTAXi. 



Department of Agriculture, 

Division of ENTOMOLoar, 
Washington, D. C, Jammry 8, 1884. 
Sir: I have tlie honor to subQiit for publication Bulletin No. 4, from 
uiiits Division, prepared under your instructions. 
Respectfully, 

0. V. RILEY, 

■ Entomologist. 
Hon. Geo. B. Loring, 

Commissioner of Agriculture. 



TABIiE or CONTENTS. 



Introduction. 

Report upon Cranberry and Hop Insects. 

Observations on the Rocky Mountain Locust and other Insects in the 

Northwest out ing the summer of 1883. 
Preliminary Report of Observations upon Insects Injurious to Cotton, 

Orange, and Sugar Cane in Brazil. 
Report on the Effects of Cold on the Scale Insects of the Orange in 

Florida. 
Extracts from Correspondence. 

Additional Notes on the Cultivation of Pyrethrum in the United States. 

5 



INTRODUCTIO:^. 



This Bulletiu contains a report by Mr. John B. Smith of his summer's: 
observations upon insects injurious to the Cranberry in New Jersey 
and Massachusetts and to the Hop-vine in parts of New York ; some 
notes by Mr. Lawrence Bruner of observations on the Rocky Mountain 
Locust and other insects in the Northwest in 1883 ; a preliminary report 
by Mr. John C. Branner on the results of his journey to Brazil as an 
agent of this Division, in connection with Mr. Albert Koebele, to study 
insects injurious to Cotton, to the Orange, and to Sugar-cane; and a 
report by Mr. Joseph Voyle on the effects of cold on Scale-insects. It 
concludes with extracts from the correspondence of the Division, includ- 
ing unpublished reports on exjieriments in the cultivation of Pyrethrum 
in diiferent parts of the United States. 

The damage to cranberry vines by insects, always severe, has been 
increasing of late years ; yet our knowledge of the life-habits of the 
species concerned in the damage has been quite fragmentary. Beyond 
a few notes by Glover and Packard, and a short article by Dr. J. H. 
Brakeley, little has been published. I have long felt the need of more 
accurate knowledge of the insect drawbacks to cranberry culture and 
the best means of avoiding them, and Mr. John B. Smith, of Brooklyn, 
N. Y., was, therefore, specially charged with investigating them the 
past summer. His report will greatly help to a final and complete 
knowledge of the subject. Mr. Smith was also charged with the invest! - 
gation of the insects injurious to the Hop- vine, and his report thereon 
is an important contribution to our knowledge of a subject that has so 
far received but little attention. 

Mr. Bruner, with one assistant, explored, during the past summer, 
that section of the West between Central New Mexico and Idaho, fol- 
lowing up the Rocky and the Big Horji ranges. On account of sickness 
he was unable to fully follow the latter part of the route mapped out 
for him, but succeeded in examining much territory that had previously 
not been examined. The chief object of the trip was'^to ascertain the 
status of the Rocky Mountain Locust, a^id, incidentallj'^, to study the 
insects affecting the chief crops of the plains and mountain regions. As 
ab'eady indicated in my annual report, the results justify the conclusion 
that there will be comparative immunity from the ravages of the Rocky 
Mountain Locust in the trans-Mississippi country during the present 
year, 1884. 



8 BULLETIN NO. 4, DIVISION OF ENTOMOLOGY. 

Mr. Brauner's report is prelimiuary to a more extended one, but gives 
a definite idea of what work was accomplished during the Brazilian trip, 
and, with the statement of his instructions, will indicate the objects of 
the trip and the important bearing of the information on the work of 
the Division. 

Mr. Voyle, in his report, gives the results of experiments by which he 
has determined the amount of cold which Scale insects can bear, thus 
settling a point which has long been in dispute among orange- growers. 

C. V. E. 



REPORT UPON CRANBERRY AND HOP INSECTS. 
By John B. Smith. 

Sir: Herewith I transmit ray report ou cranberry and hop insects, to the study or 
Avhich, under your direction, I devoted the past summer. The notes with which you 
furnished nie, and the aid and information given me during the summer in several 
■difficult matters, materially lightened the work, and enabled me to report more fnlly 
than would have been otherwise possible. The damage done to both cranberries and 
hops this season was great — greater than it had been for years past — and fully justi- 
fied your selection of these plants as requiring special investigation. For the deter- 
mination of larvje which I failed to raise to maturity, and for the notes ou the insects 
raised from larvai sent yon, I desire also to express my thanks. 

Respectfully submitted, 

JOHN B. SMITH. 

Prof. C. V. Riley, 

United States Entomologist. / 



CRANBERRY INSECTS. 

To ascertain the history of these insects, I visited some of the cran- 
berry bogs of New Jersey, and some of tlie Cape Cod bogs. At Cape 
<3od, Hyannis was the center of my investigations, and thence I visited 
tlie bogs at Harwich and vicinity, and Cotuit and vicinity. To Mr. 
George J. Miller, at Hyannis, I am indebted for information as to the 
location of the larger bogs, and as to the persons best able to aid me ; 
to Captain Ames, at Cotuit, and Captain Cahoon, at Harwich, I am in- 
debted for much information; while to all others, growers and those in- 
terested in the cranberry culture, I owe thanks for uniform courtesy and 
ready assistance. My researches in the New Jersey district were princi- 
pally carried on in the vicinity of Hornerstown and Prospertown, and 
most largely on the Lahaway plantations, where Dr. J. H. Brakeley, him- 
self no mean entomologist, and a very careful observer, gave me all as- 
sistance in his power, aided me in my experiments, and placed at my 
disposal his house and all his bogs. To him and to Mr. J. T. Brakeley 
I would express my sincere thanks for their courtesy. A diary kept by 
Dr. Brakeley, recording the first appearance of the insects in the various 
stages, the times of greatest plenty and the number of broods, together 
with the experiments looking toward their destruction and their success 
or nou -success, proved of great service to me, as I knew thus, at least 
approximately, what I had to expect. The insect enemies of the cran- 
berry are not alike in New Jersey and Cape Cod in all respects. The 

9 



10 BULLETIN NO. 4, DIVISION OF ENTOMOLOGY. 

"Fire Worm'' {Anchylopera vacchiiana Pack.) and tlie "Berrj^ Worm"' 
they have in common, and these are the most generally destructive in- 
sects. The most important of these is — 

THE VINE WORM OK FIRE WORM. 

{Anchylopera vacciniana Tack.) 

This insect, the -'Vine Worm," of Massachusetts, and "Fire Worm"ot 
New Jersey, is in its perfect state a moth or miller, expanding less than 
half an inch, of a dark ash color, the fore wings being paler, dusted with 
brown and reddish scales, with white, narrow bands on the costa, alter- 
nating with broader, yellowish-brown bands, tive of which are distinctly 
larger than the others; from four of them irregular, indistinct lines or 
bands cross the wing; the first is situated just beyond the inner third 
of the wing and is sometimes entirely and olten partially obsolete, 
the portion nearest to the inner margin being usually distinct, while 
toward the costa it becomes obsolete. The second line is the largest 
and is distinctly bent once near the middle of the wing; the angle is 
rather darker than the rest of the band. The third line is oblique and 
becomes faint and sometimes obsolete before reaching the inner angle, 
and is forked on the costa. The fourth line is short, apical and diffuse. 
The aj)ex of the wing is dark-brown and is acute and somewhat pro- 
duced, while the margin below is somewhat excised. The secondarief> 
are uniformly dark or smoky brown. 

There are two broods of this insect; the first appears early in June 
and continues throughout the month, and the second appears the mid- 
dle of July and continues to the middle of August. Stragglers are 
found from the end of May to the end of August, or even later. 

The larva, when full grown, is slightly less than half an inch in length, 
of a rather dark- green color with a black, corneous head and collar; it in. 
rather slender, very sparsely hairy, the hair being placed on small tu- 
bercles, and the head is not narrower than the middle of the body. 
The chrysalis is slender, the body being contracted at the base of the 
abdomen, on the rings of which are dorsal rows of spines. 

On May 22, 1 visited Dr. Brakeley's bog, and obtained some larvae about 
half grown from a small space which had not been flowed during the 
winter; May 23 one of the larvfe began to spin a slight cocoon, closed 
at both ends; May 25 it changed to a chrysalis, three-eighths of an inch 
in length and of a reddish yellow color. June 2 the imago appeared. 

At the time of my first visit to Dr. Brakeley's bog the water had not 
yet been entirely withdrawn, though the higher portions had been dry 
for nearly ten days. In those places where the water had just receded 
I found a large number of eggs of this insect. The egg is about 0.25'""' 
in diameter, of a waxy-yellow color, very tiat or lentil-shaped, and 
closely attached to the leaf; in fact, it most nearly resembled a fly-speck. 
Further up, where the water had been oft" some time, I found young 



THE FIRE WORM OF THE CRANBERRY 1 I 

larvfie, and even where the water had scarcely receded, larvse evidently 
■two or three <lays old were found. Close search revealed the fact that 
many of the larvie had hatched beneath the surface of the water, and 
had perished from want of air. A majority of the eggs found contained 
fully developed but dead larvae, while in many cases the larva had 
hatched and had lived for a day or two between the upper and lower 
surfaces of the leaf, before dying of lack of air. This first brood, as a 
rule, feeds for a day or two, or even longer, between the surfaces of the 
leaf, then climbs to the tip and spins up the terminal leaves, but does 
not usually eat oft" the tip so as to prevent further growth of the plant. 
As the plant develops, the more tender leaves only are attacked, and 
either the upper or under surface of the leaf is eaten. The larva never 
eats entirely through the leaf, but to tlie center only, and often only a 
few bites from difterent parts of the leaf. This first brood, as a rule,, 
does no great damage, even though very numerous, because the larva^ 
feed very largely on the old leaves, and become full-grown Just about the 
time that the vines begin to grow vigorously. About the 10th of June» 
or before, the moths of this brood appear in force. While I had seen 
that the larvfe were very numerous, I was yet perfectly' astonished at 
the vast number of imagines I found flying in the dusk, for an hour and 
a half before darkness set in. At other hours of the day they can 
scarcely be induced to rise, but at this time they rise in swarms and fly 
and hover very much after the fashion of the mosquito. 

The duration of the life of the moth appears to be about five or six 
days, and their eggs may be found everywhere ; scarcely a spray escapes^ 
and I have found as many as fourteen on a single spray and four on a 
single leaf. By the loth of June the moths were most plentiful, but they 
continued more or less abundantly throughout the season. About the 
beginning of July the second brood of larvse appears, vastly more nu- 
merous than the first; its power to do damage is very greatly enhanced^ 
and a difference in habit and more opportunity for destruction render 
it still more dangerous. The cranberries blossom just about the time 
when the second lot of larvse begin to hatch, and the young larvae im- 
mediately attack the blossom or young berry, eating just enough to 
destroy vitality, and then attacking another blossom. When the^Dcrries 
and blossoms are either all destroyed, or the berries have fairly set, the 
larvse no longer trouble them, but attack the leaves; and now they are 
not content to spin up only the tips and touch only what they eat, but, 
instead, they web up all the leaves of a spray and take a bite here^ 
another there, and a third elsewhere, until they have destroyed every 
leaf on the spray. Where the vines are thick, two or even three sprays 
are spun together by a single larva which, by nipping from all the 
leaves, will destroy every one; the leaves lose vitality and turn brown 
rapidly, and the bog looks brown and dry " as though a fire had swept 
over it." iSTot leaves only, but berries also, are thus spun up and killed 
in like manner. Xor does it take the larva; long to do their work. Dr. 



12 BULLETIN NO. 4, DIVISION OF ENTOMOLOGY. 

Brakeley, well as he knew the eueiny, was caught napping; on one bog 
he noticed the hirva;, but api)aieutly not in force or doing any damage ; 
busy with other bogs, he saw this, three days after, almost entirely eaten 
up. Senator Emsen, on a Saturday, noticed the larv.Te on a 40-acre 
bog ; he decided to attend to them in a few days, but three or four days 
thereafter the larv* had destroyed the entire bog and were beyond 
being attended to. 

The larva?, when full grown, do not pupate in their habitations, but 
drop to the ground and spin up in any rubbish at hand. The end of July 
iind the beginning of August bring the second brood of moths, and 
until the middle of September they can be found on the bogs. By that 
time the eggs are all laid, the last straggler disappears, and the vines 
begin to recover ; and by the end of September, except for the absence 
of berries, there is little to show the amount of damage suffered by the 
bog. But the new crop is provided for; everywhere upon the leaves 
are the small yellow eggs, innocent enough in appearance, but these 
quietly maintain their vitality throughout the winter, under water, 
ready to awaken to life and mischief in the early spring. During the 
past season this insect has been unusually plentiful ; everywhere on all 
the bogs visited by me they had done damage, some places more, some 
places less. They usually appear in one spot in a bog in small num- 
bers — a stray moth or two having found their way to it — attract no par- 
ti cular attention until suddenly their progeny will devour the entire bog- 
year after year. Occasionally they disappear as suddenly as they ap- 
pear. One bog not far from Cotuit had never yielded a crop ; year after 
year this insect had destroyed it, until the owner had almost despaired. 
This season he had made the most extensive arrangements to fight 
it — was prepared at all points to do battle, and calmly awaited its 
coming — but in vain ; scarcelj- a larva was to be found on the entire 
bog, and on August 9, when I saw it, the vines were full of berries 
and everything pointed to a large crop. 

REMEDIES. 

An insect so destructive as this has, of course, been the subject ot 
many experiments looking to its destruction, but they have been usually 
unsuccessful in the main end in view, viz., saving the crop, and this not 
because of any fault of the remedy, but simply because it was not applied 
at the right time. I made experiments with several insecticides, and 
ascertained what had been used by others, and was in most cases able to 
discover the cause of failure. The remedy recommended by Packard, 
and after him by Mrs. Treat and Mr. Saunders, is flowing the bog and let- 
ting it remain under water for two or three days. Unfortunately the 
vast majority of bogs require a week or more to flow them aud half that 
time to run dry again, while many bogs could not be flowed at all in the 
summer. Nor could a bog be safely flowed at any time after the buds 
had formed and the blossoms had appeared ; the result would be a de- 



THE FIRE WORM OF THE CRANBERRY. \u 

structioii not ouly of the insects but of all hope of a crop as well. After 
the berries have fully formed, the bog cauiiot safely be submerged, for the 
hot sun would cause them to "scald." In one case in Cape Cod during 
a heavy rain-storm a bog was partially flowed; the sun came out strong 
before the water could be all drawn off; nearly half the berries were 
scalded. Yet the water can be advantageously used in two ways. 
Where there is an abundant supply it should be drawn off very early, 
say the middle of April or even earlier if the season is advanced. In 
parts of a bog not submerged, larvae were found in considerable num- 
bers on the 16th of April, and of these the imagines emerged June 2, or 
thereabouts. 

Careful watch should be kept for the appearance of the larvse, and 
when they are abundant and presumably all hatched, the water should 
be put on for twenty-four hours or longer. No harm will be done by 
allowing the larvae to feed a few days before putting on the water, as 
they have only the old leaves, and do not eat off the terminal bud. 
Flowing a second time at this season will do no harm, as the sun is not 
hot enough to hurt the vines or the new shoots if they have appeared. 
The period of time required for the larvie to hatch, varies with the tem- 
perature of the air, and with the temperature of the water with which 
they had been covered. This course has been tried by several growers 
with complete success. The larvae are of course not all destroyed, but 
so few survive that no great damage is done, and they can be treated 
as hereafter described. Mr. Hopkins, of Hornerstown, reflowed his 
bog late in June or early in July for the second brood. I am informed 
that scarcely had the water covered the vines than the larvae began ap- 
pearing at the surface; it is their habit whenever their habitation i& 
disturbed to slip out of the same and drop to the ground ; the water 
was a disturbing element, and following their usual practice they 
found themselves afloat. Only a part of the bog could be flowed, and 
when the water was drawn oft, a line of dead larvae was heaped on the 
side toward which the wind had carried them. The weather was favor- 
able, and there was no scald, but still a large portion of the berries were 
destroyed. On July 10, I examined the bog and could easily trace the 
line to which the water had reached. Scarcely a larva was found in the 
flowed portion, while the high parts to which the water had not reached 
were rapidly being eaten up. Last season, as I am informed, the in- 
sects being plentiful, the bog was entirely flowed ; the insects were de- 
stroyed, but so was the crop. With a level bog and a large supply of 
water, a bog could be safely flowed for forty- eight hours at any time 
('xcept when flowering, if a cool spell be selected for that purpose. 

Where water is scarce and the bog cannot be readily flowed, another 
course must be pursued. Instead of drawing the water early, it should 
be kept on as late as possible, and should be drawn ofi" very gradually 
from below. The reason for that is that the water becoming warm will 
cause the development of the larva in the egg, and will then suffocate 



14 BULLETIN KO. 4, DIVISION OF ENTOMOLOGY. 

the laivti as soon as it breaks the shell, or, indeed, in the egg. As the 
surface -water is always warmest, it should be retained as long as pos- 
sible and the cooler water drawn off from beneath. This can be easilj'' 
done by building a second gate, not reaching to the bottom, outside the 
main gate, at a distance of about one foot from it. The water will rush 
in from below, rise to the level of the inside gate, and overflow with- 
out materially disturbing the surface water. This plan has beeu pur- 
sued by Dr. Bralieley, and on his bogs I had a chance to test it. May 
22, the water had been about half drawn off, it having reached a tem- 
perature of 80° two inches from the surface. On that day I examined 
for eggs and larvPD in various portions of the bog. Where the water 
had not touched, the larvjie were abundant and half grown ; where the 
water had covered, but had beeu oft" a week, no larvae were found, and 
but few perfect eggs; while, on the contrary, many eggs in which were 
fully de\'eloped and defunct larvai were found. Still there were eggs 
enough left to furnish a very respectable lot of larvie, as will hereafter 
uppear. Going down close to the water line many eggs were found 
largely containing fully developed but dead larva;, but some also liv- 
ing ; a few instances were seen where the larva had hatched beneath 
the water, had lived and eaten between the surfaces of the leaf for a 
day or two,>and had then succumbed. One instance was noted where 
the larva was yet ali^'e, and in the cavity in the leaf. This use of the 
water is not of course as successful as the first plan suggested, for 
while it destro3'S a large number of insects in embryo, a large number 
escape, owing to the difticulty of raising the water on an unequal bog 
to a sufhciently high temperature. Many bogs have 10 to 12 feet ot 
water at the gates, and the vines at the edges scarcely covered ; of 
course the deeper parts of the bog will not be warmed for a long enough 
time to force the development of the larvae beneath the water far enough 
to destroy them, and many will thus escape. On a level bog, where the 
water covers the vines but a few inches, there is much greater hope of 
complete success. 

On June 6, 1 again visited the bogs, and for several days experi- 
mented with insecticides. I found on those portions of the bog which 
had not beeu flowed full-grown larvse, some pupai, and a few imagos; 
on the portions which had beeu flowed, larva? in all stages of growth; 
and on the portion first laid dry, some jjupas. The dates here given refer 
to the appearance and development of the insect on one particular bog 
-only; the dates vary according to circumstances on other bogs. 

White hellebore had been used by Dr. Brakeley in previous seasons 
with good success, and as soon as the larvse became dangerous he 
turned his attention to them. On the part not flowed larvae were abun- 
dant in May, aud they were given a dose of hellebore ; to ascertain 
what eft'ect it had I covered a space of about three square feet, and this 
T\'as thereafter not dosed. 

The hellebore was applied in the form of powder, with a bellow\s con- 




THE FIRE WORM OF THE CRANBERRY. 15 

taiuing n receiver attacliiiieut, as explained iu the annexed figure, a 
being the receiver in which the hellebore is i)laced from above, t the 

tin nozzle into which it drops through the 
narrow aperture at the bottom, and c the 
mouth of bellows. When examined in June 
the protected space was completely stripped 
of leaves, while the i)ortiou treated to hel- 
lebore, though badly damaged, showed the 
benefit of the treatment. To ascertain the 
Fij;-. i.-i'owder bciiow.s. cffect of liellcbore on the larvae I placed sev- 

eral in a box of which the bottom had l»een dusted with hellebore. At first 
they paid no more attention to it than to so much dust; in ten minutes, 
after a continuous travel through the stuff, they began picking up parti- 
cles with their mandibles ; iu twenty minutes they were very uneasy, and 
gradually became paralyzed, but were alive for more than an hour after- 
ward. Ultimately the larvte all died. The experiment was carried on 
in the oi)en air. As to its effect when applied on the bog : It was applied 
twice on a portion of the bog where the larvre were unusually abundant, 
and each time it seemed to reduce the number of larva?, and undoubtedly 
did prevent their eating as much as they otherwise would have done, 
yet iu the very spots where it had been thus freely used the moths 
appeared a few days later (June 11) by thousands. This was the result 
wherever it was used; it undoubtedly did much good, but I believe less 
by killing the larvie than by forcing them to leave their poisoned quar- 
ters to seek food on the lower i)arts of the vine where they could do 
less harm. A drawback in applying this and other insecticides is that 
it is necessary to force it into the habitations of the insect, which is a diffi- 
cult matter; moreover it is much more difficult to reach the second brood 
than the first, because the fir>.t spins up at the start only a leaf or two 
at the extreme tip, and must soon come out for food; the second brood, 
on the contrary, when it does begin to spin gathers up two or three 
sprays — enough for three insects — and so need not at any time come 
within reach of the poison, no nuitter how liberally a])plied outside 
its habitation. I am satisfied that not only contact with but the act- 
ual eating of white hellebore is requisite to destroy the insect. I con- 
sider hellebore valuable, but not the most valuable insecticide. 

Bisulphide of Carbon.— Mr. Havens, of Prospertown, used a prepara- 
tion said to be of this poison and handed me some to experiment with, 
but without giving me any further information as to the nature of the 
p^e])aration, which was in the form of a brownish i)owder; it was tried 
on several larv.e, as iu the case of the hellebore, and proved rather more 
active, but having the same general effect. 1 believe it to be open to 
the same objection there is to hellebore.* 



This conUl not have been the bisulphide of carbon.— C. V. R. 



16 BULLETIN NO. 4, DIVISION OF ENTOMOLOGY. 

Copperas. — This poison is recommended as a certain cure by Senator 
Emsen, and hesho^s his faith in it by using it himself and recommend- 
ing- it to all others; but all ex]ieriments so far tried have failed to de- 
monstrate its value as an insecticide — this insect of course in view. Dr. 
Brakeley has given it a thorough trial, and deems it valueless, and oth- 
ers give similar testimony. Decisive of the matter is the testimony of 
Mr. Emsen's secretary and manager. This gentleman informed me that 
he had transplanted some vines in a large jar, had placed therein a num- 
ber of larvte and so thoroughly soaked the whole with a solntion of cop- 
peras that 1 he leaves turned black ; in a few days the larvie had devoured 
everything, and were still perfectly healthy and ravenous. 

Tobacco. — This is the favorite Cape Cod remedy, and the testimony 
gathered there is all in its favor. The tobacco is steeped in boiling-^ 
water in the proportion of 1^ pounds to a gallon, and sprinkled on the 
vines, a gallon to a rod. The testimony of all who have so used it is 
to the ettect that it kills the larva* ivherever it reaches them, but they find 
it somewhat difficult to reach them. There is a gentleman in Dennis, 
on the Cape, who makes somewhat of a business of preparing the decoc- 
tion, and he claims that it is infallible. I was unfortunate in reaching 
Deunis at camp -meeting time, and did uot succeed iu finding this gen- 
tleman. Refuse tobacco of all sorts is used. 

Paris green. — This poison has been used in a few instances that I 
know of, and probably in a quiet way to a considerable extent on the 
Cape. In New Jersey its use has been confined to a few, but wherever 
it has been used it has been a decided success. I have seen bogs on 
which it was used, parts only having been treated with it, and the dif- 
ference in the appearance of the vines was striking : where it had been 
used the vines were green and flourishing, while elsewhere they were 
dry, unsightly, spun up and defoliated. It has been used stirred iu 
water, a large tablespoonful to a pail of water, sprinkled on with a 
broom, and mixed with plaster, or rye flour. The latter is the prefer- 
able way. On Cape Cod the solution is preferred, in New Jersey the 
dry mixture is more favored. One grower mixed 3 pounds Paris green 
with 200 pounds cheap rye flour and scattered it broadcast while the dew 
was on the vines ; it formed a slight paste and adhered everywhere ; 
soon after not a larva was found on the part so treated. The advantage 
of this poison over all others is that it does not lose by exposure to the 
air as do all those previously mentioned: its disadvantage is that, ap- 
plied when the berries have become fully formed, it sticks to them so 
closely that the gentleman referred to found the berries picked off the 
poisoned sections all more or less coated with the poisoned paste, which 
had dried on so closely that a heavy rain had uot washed it off. Yet this 
poison may be safely applied early in the season to combat the first 
brood, before the berries have formed. 

Pi/rethrum, or Persian Insect Poioder. — With this I have made a num- 
ber of experiments : first as to its killing power. A few grains were 



REMEDIES AGAINST THE CRANBERRY FIRE WORM. 17 

dusted on the bottom of box and several larvae were introduced. In 
seeking- to escape, all came in contact with a few particles : the effect 
was seen in half a minute ; the larva began to squirm and to eject a 
greenish fluid from its mouth ; in three minutes it was paralyzed ; in 
fifteen minutes quite dead. Tried in a solution, one-quarter pound to 2 
gallons of water, a single small drop produced a like eft'ect, and this ap- 
parently irrespective of the spot where it touched the larva. Applied ou 
the bog its effect was less satisfactory ; the dif&cultj of reaching the 
larva in its hiding place was great and the powder lost power very rap- 
idly : still a great decrease in the number of larvae was noted. I tried it 
both in solution and putting on the powder jjure. Later, Dr. Brakelej' 
continued the experiments during my absence ; the powder was thor- 
ouglily mixed with two and one-half times its bulk of cheap rye flour 
and api)lied with the bellows on a tew rods of bog; at tirst no effect w;tH 
perceptible, but two weeks thereafter the limits of the patch to which 
pyrethrum had been applied were distinctly traceable ; where it had been 
used the vines were bright and fresh and were sending up vigorous 
shoots, while the surrounding space was all eaten up. The same mix- 
ture was tried on two larva' which were placed in a vessel dusted with it. 
In a short time they became nervous, began a vigorous battle, and in a 
few minutes succumbed, though they did not die for some time there- 
after. 

Carbolic acid. — With this I made a few experiments which proved 
eminently unsatisfactory, killing the idants when strong enough to 
hurt the insects, and becoming harmless to insects and plants at about 
the same point. Squibb' s solution, containing 1 i^er cent, of the crude 
phenols in water, was used as a base. 

Kerosene. — With this the most extensive experiments were made, as 
it seemed to me best calculated to reach the insects ; the vines are not 
easily afi'ected by it, and it is penetrating enough to soak through a leaf 
or two and reach the insect in its hiding place. A number of experi- 
ments were tried to test its killing power. An imperfect emulsion of 2 
parts kerosene to 1 part of milk was tirst used and diluted with 20 parts 
of water; a small drop was applied to a number of larvae; the effect 
was instantaneous ; the larvae seemed paralyzed at once, though they did 
not die for some time. A number of sprays of which the leaves at the 
tip were turned and spun up by larvae were gathered, and a drop of the ' 
mixture was applied at the tip ; the oil penetrated at once through 
every part of the leaves touched, and came into contact with the larva 
immediately, paralyzing it at once so that it could not leave the head, or, 
in some cases, it attempted to escape and was disabled before getting 
out. An emulsion of 2 parts kerosene to 1 part milk was made, mixed 
with 16 parts of water to one of the emulsion, and applied to the vines 
with a Lewis syringe. In the evening they were examined and a num- 
ber of dead larvfe were found ; traces of the oil could be everywhere seen, 
and where a drop had fairly struck a tip the larva was dead ; for three 
8993— Bull. 4 2 



18 BULLETIN NO. 4, DIVISION OF ENTOMOLOGY. 

days dead lai'Yoe were found (June 7 to 11), but thereafter no further ef- 
fects were observed. Afterward the mixture was applied on a larger 
scale by Dr. Brakeley to the second brood, but with less success, be- 
cause the amount of kerosene reaching the vines was insufScient to 
l)enetrate through the numerous shields of leaves protecting the larva, 
and so a large proportion escaped; another attempt, using but 10 parts 
of water to one of the emulsion, succeeded better and did not injure the 
vines. Mr. Bullock, of Prospertown, tried the mixture, 1 part emulsion 
to 10 of water, and says that it destroyed the larvae ; biit while it did no 
injury to the vines it seemed to check the growth of the berries; I am 
informed that they eventually ripened but were undersized. No such 
eflects followed the use of a 1 to 15 mixture used under my direction, 
but it was not so effective on the larva^. Afterward a small space was 
treated with a 1 to 10 mixture where the larvae of the second brood were 
nearly full grown, and the result was all that could be expected ; most 
of the larvse were destroyed and the vines were not hurt; berries un- 
fortunately had been previously destroyed by the insects. The effect 
of kerosene on the eggs was then tried ; pure kerosene was first directly 
applied to a few, and the effect was to destroy the vitality of the egg 
at once, it becoming loosened at the edges and flattening toward the 
center. The emulsion, diluted with 16 parts of water, was then applied 
to about two rods where eggs were numerous ; for a few days thereafter 
eggs decreased in number, and no imagines were found on the spot ; at 
the end of four days, however, the sjjot was as much frequented as ever 
by the moths, and eggs became more numerous ; I then waited until the 
moths had nearly disappeared (August 20-23) and again applied kero- 
sene to another spot of 4 or 5 rods, applying slightly more than a gallon 
to a rod and making the mixture 1 to 10. As the moths had not all 
disappeared and I was desirons of making my results exact, I marked 
a number of sprays and counted the eggs, marking only sprays contain- 
ing a number (4-14), and setting close to them a stick marked with the 
number of eggs on the spray. The marked plants were treated pre- 
cisely as was the balance of the patch, and the next day I examined the 
resnlt; in a few instances the total number of eggs on the sj^ray had in- 
creased, but fully 30 per cent, of the number marked on each spray had 
lost vitality, flattening out and whitening at the edges; next day nearly 
all had succumbed and the marked sprays were carried oft' to watch fur- 
ther developments ; the leaves touched by the kerosene were easily 
distinguished, and in each case every egg on every leaf which had been 
touched by the kerosene first became depressed in the center, then 
loosened and white around the edges, and finally dried up, leaving only 
a small, glistening spot on the leaf; on leaves which the emulsion had 
not touched the eggs underwent no change whatever. Early in October 
(5th to 7th) I again examined the space treated; the vines had all re- 
covered from the damage done by the larvfe and were promising well for 



REMEDIES AGAINST THE CRANBERRY FIRE WORM. 19 

next season, and the most careful examination discovered but a very 
few eggs. 

RECOMMENDATIONS. 

Despite the success attending the use of some of the above insecti- 
cides, the damage done by the hirva of this insect this season was im- 
mense — mueli more extensive in Xew Jersey than on Cape Ood, bat suf- 
ficiently great even there. One of Dr. Brakeley's bogs, which for a fair 
crop should produce 1,500 bushels and has yielded 2,000, yielded this 
year less than 200 bushels ; one 40-acre bog was almost entirely eaten 
up, and bogs of excellent vines, which easily i)roduce 200 bushels to the 
acre, this season yielded but 40 to 50 bushels ; only a few bogs were 
exempt, and the damage done amounted to many thousands of dollars. 
Many of the growers are becoming disheartened because, though they 
kill millions of larvse, yet they still lose their crops. The difficulty is not 
with the means employed but with the time at which they are applied ; 
the greatest damage is done by the second brood of larvw in the first two or 
three days of their life, because then, before spinning up leaves, they eat 
into the buds, flowers, and young berries, a single larva in one day 
sometimes destroying two or three berries or blossoms and being then 
of a size so small as to be scarcely perceived ; their appearance is noted 
when they begin to spin up the leaves and vines, and war is waged 
against them, but it is then too late, the greatest damage is done, and 
growers wonder why so few berries set. To be successful in saving a 
crop the war must be vigorously carried on against the first brood and 
against the imagines resulting therefrom. From the observations made 
and recorded above, and having followed Dr. Brakeley's efforts pretty 
closely during the past year, as well as from the experiences of others 
reported to me, I advise the following course as most likely to be suc- 
cessful : 

The'water, if used as first proposed, i. e., reflowing when the larvse 
begin to appear, will afford a nearly complete remedy, but even then 
the surviving members of the first brood must be attacked, for a single 
female produces from 20 to 25 eggs, and a few hundred escaped larvae 
form the nucleus of a destructive second brood. Where the water can- 
not be so used, it should be held very late, and drawn off gradually, 
the object being to raise it. to as high a temperature as possible, in order 
to hasten the development of the larva and destroy it in embryo. When 
the water is off, the vines should be daily examined, so as to note the 
first appearance of the larva; the time will vary according to the tem- 
perature of the air, as well as that of the water which had covered them. 
In from three to ten days the larvae will be all hatched ; at first they will 
burrow in the leaf, and then ascend to the tip, and their presence can 
then be readily noted by the fact that the under side of the leaves 
can be seen ; the top will be found drawn together, and the larva in- 
side : a little experience will enable any one to tell at a glance ; as be- 



20 BULLETIN NO. 4, DIVLSION OF ENTOMOLOGY. 

fore stated, they do little injury now, aud the danger seems small. One 
gentleman informed me that there were only a few larvse on his bog, 
and he was rather sorry, as there were not enough to experiment with : 
I visited his bog a day or two afterward and found larv;e i)retty evenly 
distributed over the bog, but doing no great damage. Some time after- 
ward they had all disappeared, and the gentleman was jubilant. He 
was correct; they had gone — into the pupa state. The moths emerged, 
and in due time the second brood of larvie. I did not thereafter hear 
any complaint of lack of insects to experiment with. 

To return. It is at this time that they must be attacked, and best of 
all with kerosene; this will penetrate through and saturate the leaves, 
and, if liberally and carefully applied, will kill by far the greater part of the 
larva?. The kerosene emulsion should be made with two parts kerosene 
to one part sour milk, and churned with a force pump ; the " aquapult" or 
*' Lewis" will answer. If the milk is heated and the vessel containing the 
kerosene warmed, ten or twelve minutes, and sometimes less, of churning 
will suffice to complete the emulsifying process, and the result will be a 
soft butter which will mix perfectly with water ; it should be dissolved 
with a small amount of water, and then any desired quantity may be 
added; the most effective proportion for this insect at this stage is ten 
parts of water to one part of the emulsion. This will not hurt the vines, 
and should be ajiplied thoroughly, with a syringe or a pump with a 
sprinkler attachment, if possible. A second application a week later 
might be advisable to reach any larvae th.it had afterwards hatched or 
previously escaped. If the water has been drawn off gradually the 
larvie will continue to hatch for as many days as the water occupied in 
receding, and the same number of days is gained in combating them. 

Another plan would be not to await the hatching of the larvae, but 
immediately after drawing the water and ascertaining the presence of 
living eggs, to apply Paris green mixed with cheap rye flour, while the 
vines are wet with dew or rain, and thus poison the food thej^oung larvae 
will be compelled to subsist on. No danger of poisoning the berries is 
to be apprehended at this stage, but perhaps the former plan is as cer- 
tain in results; it is entirely without danger, and therefore preferable. 
A few larvae will probably escape and pass into the chrysalis state, which 
they do usually on the ground among the rubbish. It is now necessary 
to watch for the first appearance of the moths, and as fast as they ap- 
pear they should be caught with hand-nets; the time will be between 
the 1st and loth of June, usually about the 10th. I noticed that the 
first moths that emerged were males ; three evenings I caught speci- 
mens, and all were males. Dr. Brakeley had been in the habit of using 
a rather cumbrous machine mounted on wheels to catch the moths, and 
the first evening of using this all that I examined of the captures were 
males. On June 9 I found the first female, and found the same evening 
male and female in coitu. The female I dissected, and found the eggs 
still immature; later I caught and confined several females, and in all 



REMEDIES AGAINST THE FIRE WORM 21 

cases they in'oved to be itupregnated, but none laid eggs until the second 
day, and on examining the vines it was not until four days after the 
moths first appeared that I succeeded in finding an egg. There are? 
therefore, certainly two or three days during which, if the moths can 
be caught, they may be prevented from laying eggs. There was a space 
of a few rods on one of Dr. Brakeley's bogs on which the moths appeared 
very abundantly. At first, with the moth-catcher used by him, and 
which it required two men at least to manage, several hundred were 
caught in an evening, but so many escaped that I suggested large hand- 
nets ; these were made about 14 inches in diameter, of mosquito-netting 
doubled, and with handles about six feet in length ; three men were 
armed and sent to the infested place, and each caught several thousand — 
estimate. 

There is only an hour and a half or two hours just before dark when 
this method can be employed, for during the day the moths do not rise; 
but just before and during the twilight they are easily disturbed and 
will readily rise, flying low and slowly, and hovering very much like 
mosquitos, which, by the by, often made their presence among them 
unpleasantly prominent. Walking slowly over the bog, hundreds of 
them are disturbed and rise up before one, and by sweeping with the 
net from side to side, and just over the vines, the great majority of them 
can be caught. Two or three evenings will suffice to clear as large a 
spot as there is force to get over, and if the retreat of the water has 
been gradual the moths will appear in most abundance a day or two 
aj)art at different points, and time to combat them will be gained. It 
must be borne in mind that every female destroyed in time lessens the 
second brood by 20 to 2.5, and may save just that number of berries. 

The moths of this brood disappear in about eight days, though strag- 
glers remain much later, and where the water has been gradually with- 
drawn, as recommended, the broods may lap. After the moths entirely 
disappear the vines should be closely examined for eggs ; if they are 
found abundant, and the vines are not in blossom or the buds fully 
formed, a heavy dose of kerosene should be applied, which will destroy 
most of the eggs. If the buds are fully formed or the vines have begun 
to blossom it is not advisable to apply kerosene, as it may retard the 
development or injure the buds or blossoms. If all these measures have 
been carefully taken the second brood will be very light, and will do 
very little damage, even if not further disturbed; but the fight should 
not be abandoned here ; watch closely for the first appearance of the 
second brood, which will probably be simultaneous with the blossoming 
of the vines. As already stated, the insect lives for a few days exposed, 
eating buds, blossoms, and young berries; its work can be noted by 
prematurely' brown, dried-up blossoms, and the insect should now be 
attacked either by pyrethrum or Paris green, preferably the former. If 
pyrethrum be used it should be mixed with two and a half times its 
weight of poor flour, allowed to stand twenty-four hours in a close ves 
sel, and liberally applied when the vines are dry. It is now compara- 



22 BULLETIN NO. 1, DIVLSION OF ENTOTVOLOGY. 

tively easy to reach the larva, and nothint? acts more rapidly and cer- 
tainly than pyrethrum. If Paris green be used it should be used in 
solution and applied with a pump or syringe with sprinkler attachment ; 
the " aquapult" is excellent for that purpose, and the "Whitman" an- 
swers every demand. Two or even three applications may be necessary 
to follow up the constantly hatching- worms, but the result will repay 
for the labor expended. Should, by some combination of misfortunes, all 
these methods have proved vain, and the insect be still in force, I would 
recommend repeated heavy doses of the kerosene mixture (1 to 10), 
which will destroy them, though it may somewhat damage the crop ; 
should, after all, moths ajipear in any number it would be good policy, 
after picking, and a few days before putting on the water, to apply 
kerosene to the vines for the purpose of destroying the eggs. 

It may be objected that all this requires a great deal of labor and con- 
siderable expense ; true as to the former, for it requires constant vigi- 
lance and the prompt application of the remedies from the time the water 
is first drawn to the time when it is again put on, yet if the work is 
carefully and conscientiously done early in the season, little indeed will 
remain to be done after the first brood has passed away, because it is 
utterly impossible that many can survive so vigorous a campaign as that 
I have mapped out; and as to expense, a dollar an acre will pay for the 
kerosene mixture. Paris green costs but a trifle, and but a ver}' small 
quantity is required, while pyrethrum costs 25 to 30 cents per pound at 
wholesale, and can be mixed with two and a half or three times its bulk 
of cheap rye flour. Nor will it be necessary to carry on so vigorous a 
campaign for many years, as the insects will become so scarce that it 
will require only a very small expenditure of time and money to keep 
them in thorough subjection, while the increased crops will repay all 
labor or expense incurred. 

I have given no place to tobacco or hellebore in the above campaign, 
because they are more expensive and, in my opinion, less effective than 
the preparations above recommended. 

One more method I find in my notes as having been successfully tried, 
easy and simple enough in appearance, but which 1 hesitate to recom- 
mend, because I did not myself see it used, i. e., simply with a kitchen 
broom to sweep off" the tops of the vines. It is gravely asserted that 
this has been done, and a bog thereby cleared of larvfe ; that there were 
no larvjB on the bog lean certify, because I saw it. Whether there 
ever were any, or whether the sweei)ing destroyed them, 1 will not ven- 
ture to say ; 1 leave it to be tried by others. 

TERAS OXYCOCCxVNA* Pack. 

This insect is not found at all in Massachusetts, so far as 1 have been 
able to ascertain, but is abundant everywhere in New Jersey. The 
species is rather interesting and anomalous in that it has two very 
distinct forms — a gray winter form and a yellow summer form. This 

*Tortr!z vacciniivorana Pack. ; T. malivorana Le B. ; T. Cinderella Riley. 



DIMORPHISM IN TERAS OXYCOCCANA. 23 

dimorphism is uiiusnal iu the family, aud though some time since re- 
corded by Professor liiley, has not beeu accepted by Professor Fernald. 
Dr. Brakeley had several years ago reached that conclusion. The gray 
moth is called by Packard "the Glistening cranberry moth," and de- 
scribed, as follows: 

Tlie body is of a dark slate color, and the palpi, which are large and project Avell 
beyond the head, are of the same color, with a few bright reddish scales at the end 
of the second joint. The tnft of hair on the abdomen is ninch paler than the rest of 
the body and of the same color aa the legs and the hind wangs, being of a glistening 
gray color. The fore wings are of a uniform reddish brown color, with a pecnliar 
glistening or greasy hue. The red tint is due to scattered, bright red scales. There 
are no other spots or markings on the wing, and the fringe is mottled with red and 
gray scales as on the wings. On the hind wings the fringe is long, silky, glossy, gray- 
ish white. Beneath, the fore wings are pale gray, the hind wings being paler than 
the fore wings. Length of the body 0.25, expanse of the wing 0.64 of an inch. It may 
be readily known by the peculiar, shining, greasy look, aud bj' the rich red scales scat- 
tered over the plain, unadorned fore wings. 

Dr. Packard records his specimen as having been found in October, 
and the description shows it to have been a fresh specimen, and judg- 
ing from the size, probably a female. Of those collected by me, the 
females are, as a rule, considerably larger than the males, though there 
are large males and small females. After a few days the moths largely 
lose their red scales, which rub off very easily, and they appear then 
of a uniform gray slate color. 

These insects, emerging from the chrysalis in October — in my experi- 
ence, on the 9th and after — pass the winter in this stage, seeking shelter 
in crevices, outhouses, and rubbish heaps. Dr. Brakeley informs me 
that he has often seen them in his cranberry house, and on bright, 
sunny days in winter flying at the edge of woods. In the spring, about 
the middle of April and to the first of May, they deposit their egii^B 
and disappear. After the beginning of May they are rarely seen. By 
the 15th of May, or a few days before, the eggs hatch and the larva 
commences its career precisely as does the Anchyloperaj except that it 
does not first burrow into the leaf. Some collected by me changed to 
pupie May 24, and transformed into moths June 4; these moths were 
smaller in size than the gray specimens and entirely different in color, 
being yellow, with ochreous mottlings, but no distinct markings on the 
fore wings, aud silky white on the hind wings and body. On fresh 
specimens the ochreous or reddish scales are dense, and give the insect 
a deeper color; flown specimens lack these scales and appear uniformly 
yellow. The sexes do not differ in size, and none expand more, and 
many less than 0.5 inches. None of these insects showed the slightest 
tendency to the slate-colored form. The second brood of larvic ap- 
pears toward the end of June or early in July, and has precisely the 
same blossom- and berry-eating habit as the Anchylopera ; in fact, I found 
that the berry-eating larvae were mostly those of this species. They 
continue this until nearly half grown, and then spin up spraysand leaves, 



'24 BULLETIN NO. 4, DIVISION OF ENTOMOLOGY. 

as does the Anehi/lopera. Toward the eud of July the larvne pupate, 
either in their habitations or on a leaf close b}- — never on the ground. 
The second brood of niothvS emerges in August (18th to 23d), and the 
moths of this also are uniformly yellow ; one specimen only which I 
found had the hind wings and body dusky, but this escaped through 
the meshes of my net while I was examining it. These moths oviposit 
in the early part of September and produce larvte- about the 12th. The 
chrysalis is formed late in September or the first of October, and the 
moths emerge about the 9tli or a little later. This brood of moths is 
uniformly gray. I did not meet with a single exception, and that it is 
the result of the eggs laid by the yellow form I am perfectly positive, 
for not only were there no gray moths on the bog to produce them, but I 
watched the yellow forms oviposit, obtained some eggs from females in 
confinement, and sent them to Washington to be reared, and Professor 
Eiley informs me that gray individuals were obtained from them.* The 
moths continued to emerge and were flying on the bog when the water 
was put on. 

The egg of this species is precisely like that of the Anchylopera in form 
and color, but is very slightly larger; it is laid on the under side of a 
leaf, as in that species, and at about the same time, so that practically it 
is impossible to distinguish the two ; the larva also much resembles that 



'In the "General Index and Supplement to the nine reports on the Insects of Missouri," 1881, in 
speaking otTortrix Cinderella Riley, we remarked as follows (pp. 82-83) : 

"From specimens reared from cranberry-feeding larvse received from Mr. John H. Brakeley. of Bor- 
dentowu, N. J., I am satisfied that this is the same species briefly characterized by Packard in the first 
edition of his Otdile (p. 334) as Tortrix oxycoccana, and that T. 'HiaZiyoranaLeBaron (my Kej). IV, p. 47) is 
but a diniorpliic, orange form, subsequently described by Packard as T. vacciniivorana (Haydeu's Re- 
port of the U. S. Gcol. andGeogr. Survey of the Territories, 1878, p. 522). The orange and ash-gray spec- 
imens are thus bred both from Apple and Cranberry. I have reared both forms from Cranberry and 
from Apple, and they are undistinguishable in the larva and pupa states. The gray form is often more 
or less suffused with orange scales and the orange fonu less frequently with gray scales. This is the 
most remarkable case of dimorphism with which I am familiar in the family, and points strongly to 
the important bearing of biological facts on a true classification . The dimorphic coloring is not sexual, 
but occurs in both sexes. The eggs of this species are very flat, circular, and translucent, with a diam- 
eter of 0.7""", and are laid singly on the under side of the leaf near the mid rib. The species belongs to 
l;he genus Teras, and as Packard's specific name oxycoccana has priority, the insect should be known as 
Teras oxycoccana, Pack. The insect, jiccording to Mr. Brakeley, who gives an account of it iu the 
Report of the Seventh Annual Convention of the New Jersey Cranberry Association (1879, p. 7), com- 
monly affects, also, the high-bush whortleberiy. The gray form of the moth is most frequent iu au- 
tumn." 

Prof. C. H. Fernald, in his " Syuonymical catalogue of the described Tortricidre of North America, 
north of Mexico," 1882, as stated by Mr. Smith, still retains the four insects as distinct species, and 
thus doubts the correctness of our conclusions. We therefore took pains to put the question to so full a 
test as to leave no reason for doubt. Mr. Smith's experience in the field, as above shown, is confirmatory ; 
but from material which he sent on to Washington, we not only actually bred the orange form from the 
first brood of larva? received in May and produced from the hybernating slate-colored form, but also 
the slate-coloied form from larvie hatched from eggs laid by the orange form. Over two hundred spec- 
imens, reared from larva; received in August, and jjioduced by the seconil brood of orange moths are 
all referable to the .slate-colored foim. In fact all the moths which issued after September 23 were of 
*his form, though there was but a difference of five days between the issuing of the last yellow and the 
first giay specimens, the latter continuing to issue through October. Many of the gray specimens, 
especially those wliich first appear, are so suflused with orange or reddish scales as to appear somewhat 
intermediate between the two extremes, but there are none which are not at once referable to the gray 
form. It is in fact an interesting case of .seasonal dimorphism, and how far it is influenced by tem- 
perature, future experiment, which we hope to make, will determine. — C. T. Ji. 



REMEDIES AGAINST TERAS OXYCOCCANA. 25 

of the Anchylopera in habit and general appearance; the head and neck, 
however, are honey yellow instead of black; the body is of a somewhat 
paler green, and the larva when full-grown is larger — nearly half an 
inch in length. The head is nearly as wide as the first segment; and the 
body tapers gradually to the tail, and is furnished with fine, sparse, pale 
hairs arising from prominent tubercles ; the four dorsal tubercles are 
arranged in a trapezoid with a deep crease between the anterior and 
posterior pair ; the anterior three pairs of feet are tipped with black. On 
each side of the base of the head is a lateral, S-shaped, blackish-brown, 
linear band, the upper part of the S terminating on the top of the occi- 
put, the line being most distinct on the side of the head. The ocelli are 
black. The pupa is brown, rather slender, and has the head prolonged 
into a large tubercle surmounted by a large, round and roughened knob ; 
there is an angular projection on each side of the head, forming a shoulder 
to it. " The wing-covers reach to the end of the third abdominal ring, 
while the anteunse reach to the end of the second pair of feet, which are 
parallel to the end of the second abdominal ring. There are two rows of 
teethou the upper side of the abdominal rings; they are obsolete beneath, 
the posterior row being indicated by two remote, minute tubercles." It is 
about two-fifths of an inch long. There is no appreciable difference in size 
between the larva of the gray or winter form and that of the summer 
form, but the pupa of the latter is rather smaller. 

ENEMIES. 

Unlike the Anchylopera^ which appears free from insect enemies, this 
insect is preyed upon by two parasites : a dipterous larva belonging to 
a species of Tachinid and the larva of an Ichnenmonid.* 

These parasites I have found in the second brood only; all my larvae 
of the first and third broods completed their changes, while those of the 
second brood were almost all infested with parasites, and these I appre- 
hend will do much to prevent this species from becoming as plentiful as 
the Anchylopera. 

REMEDIES. 

A bog that can be completely tlowed need never suffer much from this 
insect. All that is necessary is to keep the water on in the spring until 
after May 1. By that time the surviving moths will either have per- 
ished without depositing eggs at all, or they will b« compelled to de- 
posit them on the apple trees or whortleberry bushes; the latter being 
probably their original food before the abundance of cranberries enticed 
them to the bogs and led to their rapid increase. This remedy has 



♦ None of the specimens of the Tachinid bred by Mr. Smith had the wings developed, and all were 
otherwise so shriveled and imperfect that determination is impossible. The Ichnenmonid is Macro- 
eentrus delicatus Cr., fisriired in our Fifth report ou the insects of Missouri as parasitic on the Apple 
Worm {Carpocapsa pomonella). It is an interesting fact, as bearing on the unity of habit in the same 
genus, that we have likewise reared Macroeentribs from two other Tortricids, viz,, Orapholitha cary- 
aiatia Fitch and Tortrix paludana Rob. C. V. B. 



26 BULLETIN NO. 4, T VISION OF ENTOMOLOGY. 

been some time kiiowD to growers in New Jersey, and they have used the 
water in this way with uniform success; a few uioths of the second 
brood find their way on the bogs, but not in sufficient numbers to do 
any great damage. As tlieir habits are otherwise the same as those of 
the Anchylopcra, th(> remedies recommended for the latter may be as 
well used for this insect. t 

The moth is attracted by light and a tire; or, better, a torch of pitch 
pine with a bK^in of tar underneath, at intervals around a bog, will at- 
tract and desiioy large numbers in the early evening, soon after dark- 
ness fairly sets in. 

THE CRANBERRY SPAN WORM. 

{Cymatophora paminnaria (In.) 

The moth expands about Ih inches, and is of a pale ash-gray color, 
sprinkled with black scales ; the wings are produced at the apex, and 
the margins are dentate, most distinctly so on the hind wings. The 
fore wings are crossed by two distinct black lines ; the inner, one-third 
from base and curved inward toward the center of the wing ; the outer 
is one-third from the margin, and is curved first toward the margin and 
then inwardly toward the base of the wing. There is a less distinct 
and somewhat diffuse line between these lines, and there is a jagged 
pale line between the outer black line and the margin. At the margin 
is a distinct, scalloi^ed black line. The hind wings are marked in much 
the same way, except that the lines are straight. Beneath, the wings 
are of a uniform pale gray, relieved on the anterior jjair by a black dis- 
cal spot. 

I This insect, I am assured by growers, appears on the bogs twice in the 
course of the season, once in late June or early July, and again the 
latter part of August. The larvie appear in June and again about the 
middle of July ; when full-grown they are rather more than an inch in 
length, of a livid reddish gray, smooth and slender, with five pairs of 
legs ; the anterior three pairs on the three thoracic segments, one pair 
on the eleventh and the other on the last segment. The head is deeply 
indented above, and the anal plate is long, acute, and considerably pro- 
jecting. The anterior part of the first segment is darker reddish brown, 
and there are two dorsal rows of very fine brown spots, and a wider 
row of a darker color at the sides ; the stigmata are deep brown. 

The second brood of these caterpillars becomes full-grown early in An* 
gust (8th-llth), and transforms into a short, stout, reddish-brown pupa 
less than half an inch in length and rather rough and punctured. The 
pupa' are naked and are found in the sand about an inch beneath the 
surface. They are said to transform into moths toward the end of Au- 
gust, but how they pass the winter I was not able to ciscertain. 

These insects are, I am informed, found upon the bogs at Cape Cod in 
small numbers every year, but from their color, which resembles that of a 



THE CRANBERRY SPAN-WORM 27 

cranberry twig, and their habit of clasping the twig- with their anal legs 
or claspers and stretching out from it perfectly straight and motioules.s^ 
they are very often overlooked, and it is not until they become very 
numerous that they attract attention. Usually tliey are checked by 
parasites, which prey upon them, but in some spot, almost every year, 
they become numerous ^enough to be destructive. This year it was a 
bog at Cotuit under the charge of Capt. S. Ames. On August 9, in his 
company, I visited this bog. Xo sooner did we come in sight of it than 
the space covered by the insects was seen. Elsewhere of a deep, rich 
green, where they were working everything was of a bare, yellow brown- 
Reaching the bog I found where these insects were working that abso- 
lutely every green thing had been eaten uj); not a leaf, not a bud re- 
mained ; even the soft terminal shoots had been eate.n otf and only the 
hard, dry twigs remained. At first I could see no larvfe, but ou closer 
examination I found that what I ha<l taken as bare twigs sticking out 
were really larvic ; a dozen of them were sometimes found on a single 
spray, and not a spray escaped. Captain Ames says they started from 
a place about a rod square, ate that all up, spread out a little, aud tiien 
started in a direct line across the bog. At this^ time they had nearly 
completed their journey, and were about full:grown. Reaching what 
might be called the head of the army, every spray was found loaded 
with larvae; yet so deceptive whs their ajipearance that it was at first 
impossible to realize their vast number. A small fire was built in that 
portion of the bog just passed over, the wind carrying the smoke through 
the advance guard of the host. In a moment everything was in motion -, 
the very i)lants seemed alive fromthehost of larvtecrawlingamongthem. 
The only thing at all comparable to it which I had witnessed is the 
march of the army worm. Going back over the eaten portion, almost 
everywhere 1 chose to dig, pupne were found about an inch beneath the 
surface. The number of moths that would be produced should these 
pupte all tratisform would be frightful. Luckily, the larva seems sub- 
ject to attacks of parasites, and while I did not myself succeed in raising 
these parasites, a lot of larva\sent to the Department to be raised may 
have done better. 

REMEDIES. 

Where these insects cover an entire bog nothing in the way of a croj) 
can be hoped for, and the best thing that can be done is to How the bog. 
Where they cover but a part of the bog, or where it cannot be flowed, 
Paris green should be used, preferably mixed with rye flour, and it should 
be liberally applied. Xo danger can result, because no crop can be 
picked off the portion attacked by them, if they are noticed when they 
first begin to work, and cover but a small space, kerosene prepared and 
used as suggested for the Anehylopera is preferable. Being open feed- 
ers there is no difficulty in reaching them, and the action will be rapid 
and certain. Instead of Paris green, pyrethrum may be used ; it is- 



28 BULLETIN NO. 4, DIVISION OF ENTOMOLOGV. 

"* 

quick and certain in its action where it touches the larva, and, liberally 
applied, it wouhl undoubtedly destroy the vast majority of them. 
Where the larvae are scattered singly over the bog they usually escape 
notice entirely and do no appreciable damage. 

An insect comiuou to the (Jape and New Jersey, though much more 
■destructive on the Cape, is 

THE CKANBERRY FKUIT WORM.* 

The moth producing tliis pest expands rather more than half an inch, 
has narrow fore wings, and broad, somewhat triangular, hind wings ; the 
head is broad, the eyes large and black, and tbe palpi project well beyond 
the head. The coli)r of the body and secondaries is a rather pale gray, 
with a slight metallic glisten, more pronounced on the thorax, where 
white metallic scales are intermixed. The fore wings • are rather 
darker gray, with a more decided metallic luster; along the costa is a 
snowy white margin, most distinct and widest at the middle of the 
wing, narrowing and sprinkled with gray scales at the base and apex. 
There is a darker, transverse shade very near the base; a more distinct, 
darker, transverse band just inside the middle, and an oblique and less 
distinct shade from the apex to the inner margin, more diffuse near the 
middle of the wing. Above the center of the wing, at the outer third, is 
a rather long, paler spot, constricted at the middle, at each end of which 
is a blackish spot. Beneath, the wings are of a uniform glistening gray 
color, darker ou the fore wings. The fringes on both wings are concol- 
orous. This insect appears on the bogs late in June and early in July, 
with the first appearance of berries ; it is shy, tlies rapidly, and is not 
easily captured. When and where the egg is deposited is not yet 
known, but probably on the young berry. The young berry-worm ap- 
pears as soon as the berries are well set, eats out the center only, and 
then migrates to another berry. The vacated berry t urns red and event- 
ually shrivels up and drops. The larva, on entering the new berry, care- 
fully spins up the aperture made to effect an entry with a dense web of 
tine, white silk, so that it is sometimes difficult to see where the hole was 
made. In this berry it becomes half-grown, and, working out, leaves a 
jagged opening, and again enters a new berry ; the berries are by this 
time well grown, and sometimes tlie larva reaches its full size in this 
third berry. The place of entry is as carefully closed as in the previous 
case, and soon the berry begins to show a red color, denoting to the prac- 
tised eye the i)resence of the enemy, but to the uninitiated api)earing 
oidy to be nicely ripening. Where the larva does not complete its growth 
in this berry, it migrates to another, this time not closing the port of 
entry. The berries are by this time nearly fully grown, and about the 
latter part of September or the beginning of October the worms are fully 



* This is a Phycid bclongino- ajiparenUy to Myelois, but as onlij one poor aud damaged specimen was 
■obtained, we cannot now properly characterize it. — O. V. Ji. 



THE CRANBERRY FRUIT-WORM. 29 

grown, leave the berry, and go into the pupa state. Dr. Brakeley, who 
has raised the insect, and from whom I obtained a part of the above his- 
tory, says that the larva pupates iu the ground, and the moth emerges 
next spring. The larv^e appear to differ greatly in rapidity of growth, 
as in early August, when I examined many hundreds at Cape Cod, all 
sizes were represented, from the mite but a line or two in length to the 
nearly fnll-grown larva half an Inch in length and completely filling the 
interior of the berry. The full-grown larva is half an inch or a little 
more in length, of a bright green color, often with a reddish tinge, most 
prominent on the dorsum. The head is narrower than the first segment, 
and is of a paler, more yellowish color, except the mouth, which is 
brown ; the segments are transversely wrinkled, and are clothed with a 
few sparse and rather long hairs. As a whole, the insect is more com- 
pactly built than either of the preceding, and is of the same thickness 
throughout. 

The damage done by this insect in the cranberry bogs of Cape Cod 
this season is very large. In New Jersey scarcely a specimen could be 
found, and nowhere was it plenty. On August 7 to 11, I visited the 
Cape Cod bogs. Scarcely one but was infested by this insect, and many 
were so badly attacked that not 20 per cent, of the berries were sound; 
in one bog near Hyannis, which had escaped the fire-worm, the berries 
on August 8 were 90 per cent, red, and apparently ready to gather ; 
closer examination dev^eloped a berry worm in almost every berry, and 
there was every likelihood of the whole crop being eaten, as the worms 
were scarcely half- grown. 

REMEDIES. 

An Ichneumon fly is said to prey on this worm, but I did not succeed in 
breedingit, anditcannot apparently bedepended upon to keep the species 
within limits. I could not find that any remedies against this insect 
had been successfully used. Tobacco had been tried, but without suc- 
cess, and the same result attended the use of Paris green. Flowing has 
been tried, but where the water has been left on long enough to destroy 
the insects, it has also destroyed the berries. The fact is that it is a 
matter of great difficulty, it not absolute impossibility, to reach this 
insect in the larva state. The fact that it lives in the berry, and care- 
fully closes up the place of entrance, excludes poisons which kill by 
touch or by being eaten, because the larva never comes into contact with 
them. Flowing is an incomplete remedy for the same reason. It is 
possible for the larva to remain submerged for a week or more without 
being in the least discommoded, and so long a submergence during 
August or September would infallibly ruin the crop, although it might 
thereby also destroy the insect. It is probable that at some portion of 
its career this insect can be successfully combated, but as most of my 
investigations this season were made in New Jersey, where this insect 
was not to be found, I was not able to ascertain its complete history, 
and can therefore suggest no remedy. 



30 BULLETIN NO. 4, DIVISION OF ENTOMOLOGY. 

THE BEOAD-WIXGED LEAF-HOPPER. 

{Amphiscepa bivittata Say.) 

This little insect, while found on every bog, does little injury. It 
feeds on the juices of the plant, and did it ever appear in large num- 
bers it might become injurious. The insect is about a quarter of an 
inch long, and the expanded wings measure half an inch. The head is 
red-brown, with a greenish vertex; the thorax is of a deep brown-red; 
the body is yellow, and the hind wings are transparent; the fore wings 
are bright green, except the inner margin, which is bright carmine-red. 
In shape the wings are broad, semicircular, and when the insect is at 
rest the folded wings resemble an undersized leaf. The hind legs are 
formed for leaping, and the insect is very activ^e, using its legs and 
wings to good advantage in its changes of locality. Should it ever be- 
come injurious, the use of hand-nets and of the kerosene emulsion would 
be indicated. 

THE CRANBERRY TIP WORM. 

Early in July I noticed in one small spot on a bog an occasional vine 
which had failed to grow, and had a bud apparently just ready to open. 
Examining some of these, I found the tip eaten off and the outer leaf 
only covering the destroyed tip ; further search developed a specimen or 
two of a small, red, apodous grub about half a line (0.04 inch) in length, 
tapering toward each end, but most toward the head. The specimens 
were evidently weak and did not enter the pupa state. A few pupae 
were afterwards found close to the base of the outer leaf of the terminal 
bud and in a small cavity formed for it; they were enveloped in a dense, 
white cocoon of silk, and from one of these the imago emerged toward 
the end of August, during my absence from home; from the remains, 
the insect seems to be a minute midge, of a clay -yellow color, with long 
legs and antennae. I could tind none on the bogs, and up to October 
10 there were no traces of larvae in the terminal buds of the vines. In 
small sj)ots this insect was apparently quite plentiful, judging from the 
destroyed tips, but none of the growers seem to have noticed it, and it 
has evidently never been very injurious. Should it become abundant 
at any time, the kerosene mixture will i)rove a complete remedy for it^ 

LOCUSTS AND CRICKETS. 

Ten species of locusts and a cricket [Gryllus neglectus Scudd.) were 
found on the bogs, and evidently do considerable damage. The locusts 
are Acridinm alutaceum (?) Harr., Caloptenus hivittatus Scudd., (Edipoda 
collaris Scudd., (Edipoda maritima Uhl., Tomonotus snl2>hui-eus Sauss., 
(Edipoda wqualis (?) Scudd., (Edipoda eucerata Harr., Stenohothrus ma- 
culipennis Scudd. var., Caloptenus sp. near femur-ruhrum Deg., and 
Caloptemis punctulatus (?) Uhl. 



THE CHAIN-SPOTTED GEOMETE!^. 31 

They often grow to au eiionnons size compared with their usual de- 
veloiJiueut. They do uot find their food exclusively on the bogs, but 
when nearly full-grown they have the habit of biting pieces out of the 
cranberries, which, of course, soon wither and die. They seldom eat 
an entire berry, but usually eat out the seeds and then leave it. The 
cricket has the same habit. Probably all the species of locusts found 
in the various localities find their way on the bogs, and none live ex- 
clusively in them, for I found the same species that were common on 
the bog were also common in the woods and fields everywhere in the 
vicinity. A cheap and very effective remedy against the depredations 
of these insects is a flock of turkeys. Dr. Brakeley has between 50 and 
100, which dny by day journey to the bogs and cross and recross them 
in every direction, coming home each evening with crops distended to 
their fullest extent. The difference between his bogs and those of his 
neighbors, in the matter of locusts, is marked; only an occasional one 
will fly up before you on his bogs, while on the other bogs visited by 
me locusts started up everywhere by the dozen. Both pyrethrum and 
kerosene kill the locusts when they come into contact with them, but 
turkeys constitute by far the best and easiest remedy to apply. 

THE CHAIN-SPOTTED GEOMETEE. 

{Zerene catenaria Gn.) 

On some bogs of Cape Cod au insect locally known as the yellow 
span worm sometimes becomes somewhat injurious. The parent of the 
larva is known as the "chain-spotted geometer," and is pure white, 
except for the front of the head and the shoulder tippets, which are 
yellow. The fore wings have a narrow, zigzag black line on the inner 
third of the wing, a distinct, black discal dot and a scalloped black line 
half-way between the discal dot and outer edge. The hind wings have 
a black discal dot and a single black line, often more or less broken at 
the outer third of the wing. It expands nearly 2 inches. 

The larva is lA inches or more in length, equally thick throughout, of a 
bright sulphur-yellow color with paler and black markings. It is readily 
recognized and easily seen on the bogs; it is found in moderate numbers 
on the various bushes growing at the edge of the bogs, and appears a 
general feeder. The uniform testimony is that the young larv?e are 
never found on-the bog, but when they attain the length of au inch 
they sometimes leave their natural food-plants and invade the bog, eat- 
ing rapidly and doing considerable damage. 

The remedy for this lies in prevention, and is easy : Clear the ditches 
surrounding your bog, have them at least two feet wide and half full of 
water, and cut oft' the brush for a few feet from the edge of the bog. The 
remedy is complete. 



32 BUl.LETIN NO. 1, DIA^ISION OF ENTOMOLOGY. 

THE EED STRIPED CKANBEKRY WORM. 

In the latter i)art of September and early part of October I found on 
a bog in iSTew Jersey a few specimens of a larva described by Dr. 
Packard under the above name ; the specimens agree very well with his 
description, wbich is substantially as follows : 

The body is long and slender, nearly three- fifths of an inch in length, 
slightly tapering to the head, but more decidedly toward the tail ; 
general color pale livid green with six longitudinal, pale reddish lines, 
broken and irregular toward the head, but more distinct and wider 
toward the tail, so that the body looks darker and rather more reddish 
posteriorly. The head is pale yellowish with a few long hairs; the man- 
dibles are reddish, darker at the tip. Ocelli blackish. Prothorax un- 
usually long, nearly as long as the head, and entirely without markings; 
it is slightly wider than the head, but narrower than the succeeding 
segment. On the front edge of the second and third rings is a trans- 
verse row of six black, minute warts giving rise to a hair, and a seventh 
one low down in the middle of the side. On the abdominal segments 
there are four dorsal black warts, the two anterior nearer together than 
the posterior, though not forming a decided trapezoid ; on the side of 
the ring is another black wart in line with the two anterior dorsal ones 
and giving rise to a rather stout hair. Around the edge of the supra- 
anal plate is a row of four black warts and two median, dorsal, smaller 
warts. Beneath, livid greenish, the three segments between the last 
pairs of feet with each a transverse, straight row of minute, black 
warts. 

The habits of this caterj>illar are much like those of the Teras and of 
the Anchylopera ; like them it draws together the leaves of a spray, but 
unlike them it often severs the leaves and forms a complete tube of silk 
with an outer covering of leaves ; this tube is always open at each end, 
and the larva, which is very active, slips out at the least disturbance. It 
was found on a single spot only, and in small numbers, and this spot 
"was just the one part of the bog not flowed f'luing the winter. At date 
(October 22), the larvte have not yet pupated, while the bogs are either 
entirely or nearly covered with water. The remedy is indicated by the 
length of larval life, and it consists simply in flowing the bog as early in 
the fall as it can be safely done and before the larva changes to the pupa 
stage. The fact that I found this larva in the only part of the bog not 
flowed, and not elsewhere, is significant and points to the best remedy. 

Some other insects have been recorded as feeding on, or in some way 
injurious to, the cranberries, but these are all observed by me during the 
past season. Some of them may be found in Massachusetts or elsewhere,. 
on bogs that I did not get to see, but I heard no complaints of other 
insects from localities which I have \'isited, except that Mr. Makepeace, 
of Hyannis, Mass., who has probably the largest acreage of cranberries 
under his care of any one man in Massachusetts, complains of a root 



I 



THE RED-STRIPED CRANBERRY WORM. 33 

worm, and of an iusect eating the runners of the vines. The roots of 
the cranberries are exceedingly numerous and fine, and it seems scarcely 
possible that an insect living in the roots, as it is claimed this does, 
should exist and do serious injury. Captain Ames, of Ootuit, has heard 
of this insect, and showed me places on his bog said to be caused by it. 
Careful examination revealed nothing. The insect said to injure the 
runners leaves traces of its work, but the insect itself seems very diffi- 
cult to find. A cranberry plant will send off runners in every direction ; 
the runners send out uprights which bear the fruit ; the runners lie on 
the surface of the ground, and when a bog is resanded, or before, take 
root at intervals, though sometimes a runner will maintain six or more 
uprights from the main root. It is the bark of these runners that is 
eaten oif at the under side; never much, but a little bite here and an- 
other little bite there ; the runner loses vitality, the uprights die, and 
the infested space becomes brown and dry. This gradually spreads, 
though as yet no very great damage has been done. I examined several 
of these spaces and on every one of them I found the same appearance, 
t. e., dead vines, and on the runners a few small patches deprived of 
bark ; this, Captain Ames says, is sufficient to destroy a vine. One or 
two of these barkings appearing tolerably fresh, I made a close search for 
insects without any success; the only living thing found was a centiped. 
Captain Ames says that he has seen the depredator, and he is the only 
one whom I could find tha,t had. He says it is an active, brown insect 
with many legs and some hair-like appendages at the sides. He says 
he has seen them early in the season and again late in the season, but 
never at the time 1 saw him, i. e., August 9. I requested him to look 
out for the next appearance of the insect and to send me specimens, but 
I have not thus far heard from him, though he promised to comply 
with my request. The insect has received the name of " girdle worm " 
among Cape Cod growers. 

I have found a few other insects on the bogs, some Remiptera homo- 
ptera and some Hemiptera heteroptera, hut they are not cranberry feeders. 
They live on the weeds and grasses found on neglected bogs, and the 
more neglected a bog is, the greater the variety and number of small 
insects that are found on it. I have no doubt but that most of these 
insects do occasionally attack the cranberry, but I am equally certain 
that, except the mosquito, they would not be on the bog were the weeds 
not there. 

8993— Bui. 4 3 



34 BULLETIN NO. 4, DIVISION OF ENTOMOLOGY. 

HOP I^rSECTS. 

The hop crop thiis year was greatly damaged by insects, principally 
the Hop Aphis, ably seconded by the " Grub," and materially assisted 
by a number of other pests. Herkimer in early summer, Waterville 
later on, and then Cooperstowu furnished the centers of investigation. 
At Athens 1 examined a yard thathad formerly suffered miu-hfrom insect 
attack, and the yards in the vicinity of Deansville and Oriskany Falls 
were visited, so that I might be able to detect local pests, should there 
be any unusually abundant. To Mr. Frank Cutter, editor of the Wa- 
terville Times, I owe thanks for the courtesy, assistance, and informa- 
tion aftbrded me ; to Mr. Lawrence, manager of the Hop Extract works 
at Waterville, I am indebted for information and free permission to dig, 
delve, and otherwise amuse myself in his hop yard, and to sacrifice such 
numbers of vines as the necessities of the case might demand. At 
Herkimer, Mr. George W. Pine assisted me in making a first acquaintance, 
with the " Grub." At Cooperstowu, Mr. J. F. Clark gave me great aid 
in my researches on the Aphis. To Mr. Ira C. Jeuks, of Deansville, I 
tender my thanks for aid on the same subject, and to the growers every- 
where I owe gratitude for such aid and information as they were able 
to give me. 

One of the insects most destructive to the liop vine, and which threat- 
ened at one time to entirely destroy" the yards in certain districts is — 

THE HOP GRUB. 

(Larva of Eydneeia immanis Gn.) 

This insect measures from 1:^ to 2 inches in expanse of wing, is stoutly 
built, of a yellowish brown or rather pale rust color j the middle portion 
of the fore wing is darkest, and incloses two large, somewhat kidney- 
shaped, paler spots; the outer portion of the wing is paler; the hind 
wings are rather more j^ellowish, uniformly colored, and not so thickly 
covered with scales as are the fore wings. 

Of this moth a few specimens appear in the fall, but the majority ap- 
pear in spring, from the beginning to the end of May or later, according 
to the season. 

The egg is deposited by the female upon the tip of the hop vine when 
it begins to climb, and is, as 1 am informed by Mr. Fees and Mr. Jeuks, 
about the size of a pin head, globular in form, and of a yellowish-green 
color. The egg hatches in a few days and produces a minute, slender, 
greenish larva, spotted with black, which immediately burrows into the 
vine just below the tip, and spends a part of its life in the vine at this 
point. 

The vine soon shows the effect of the insect's work ; instead of pointing 
upward, embracing the pole readily and growing rapidly, the tip points 
downward, will not climb, and almost entirely ceases growing. This 
appearance is called by growers a "muffle head," and such "muffle 



THE HOP GRUB ITS HABITS. 35 

heads," 1 am informed by growers, were qiiitf common this spring. The 
heads had been oi)eued and the hirva detected, bnt the parentage was 
almost universally attributed to a "green fly" mentioned, but not more 
nearly described in several agricultural papers. This tly, as nearly as 1 
can make out from the description of growers, is a ISyrphufi, and prob- 
ably the parent of the larva found afterward destroying the hop aphis. 
At any rate, it is not the parent of this "tip worm," as the insect has 
been called. Not all "inufde heads" are caused by this larva, how- 
ever, as will be hereafter pointed out. 

When the insect attains a length of about half an inch or slightly 
l«',ss, it leaves the tip, drops to the ground, and, entering the stem at the 
surface of the vine, feeds upward, interrupting the growth of the vine and 
lessening its vitality ; the larva now changes color, and becomes a dirty 
white with a strong, deep reddish tint, apparently proceeding from be- 
neath the surface of the skin, and with numerous black spots. x\s the 
vine grows, it becomes hollow and hardens, and the more rapidly as the 
free flow of sap is interrupted. The larva, now about an inch in length, 
and still slender, burrows downward to the base of the vine at its junc- 
tion with the old stock, and, eating its way out, completes its growth 
as a subterranean worker ; it is in this state that it is best and most 
widely known as the hop "grub," and the ravages caused by it are 
most noted. 

The journey from the stem to the ground is made in the beginning of 
June, and by the 21st of June, while 1 found many larvte in the ground 
about the roots, none were found in the stems, though traces of their 
work were everywhere abundant. 

The larva now is mainly a sai) feeder. It eats a small hole into the 
side of the stem just below the surface and just above the old root, and 
grows fat rapidly on the juices that should nourish the plant. As the 
sap seeks courses to enable it to reach the upper part of the vine un- 
molested, the grub enlarges its opening until he sometimes severs it en- 
tirely from the parent root, and the vine dies. In other cases it is left 
barely attached to the root, and continues a precarious existence, yield- 
ing few or no hops. Occasionally an exceptionally healthy vine will en- 
tirely recover from a serious attack of "grub." By the middle or the 
20th of July the larvfe are full-grown and ready to enter the pupa state. 
They are now about 2 inches in length, fleshy, unwieldy, and very slow 
in their movements; they are of a dirty white color, speckled with tine, 
brownish, elevated tubercles, each furnished with a single stout hair ; 
the head is brownish and corneous, as is also the top of the first s^^gment. 

About the 20th of July the pupa is formed in a rude cell close to the 
roots of the plant, upon which, during its larval existence, the insect fed. 
The pupa is an inch or slightly more in length, stout, cyliudroconic, and 
of a deep brown or blackish color. In this condition it passes the win- 
ter, though, as before remarked, a few specimens appear in the fall. 
Whether these latter hibernate or whether they perish, I have not been 
able to ascertain, though the latter seems the more likely. 



36 BULLETIN NO. 4, DIVISION OF ENTOMOLOGY. 

This insect is not equally coninion in all years nor in all localities. It 
will son)etimes be plenty and greatly damage one yard, while the closely 
adjoining yard is untouched. As a rule, also, the outskirts of the yards 
are the greatest sulferers, while the interior yards escape. The habit of 
the moth seems to be to lay its eggs on all available places, and often 
every shoot from the roots, amounting to flfteeu or more, will turn out 
"muffle heads," and consequently useless. As many as twenty larvae 
have been found in a single hill, while I myself have found thirteen 
specimens. Where nothing is done to check them they do considerable 
damage, and may, and indeed have destroyed entire yards. 

REMEDIES. 

The remedies to be recommended for the destruction of these insects 
are simple, cheap, and efficient. 

First. Cultivate skunks. They are an invaluable aid, require no pay, 
no care, and ask only to be let alone and not interfered with in their 
work. In every yard in which the grubs were common, and where there 
were any convenient hiding and breeding places for skunks near by, 
traces of their presence could be seen in the tunnel made by the sharp 
snout of the animal in its search for the fat larvie ; for it is not until the 
larva is full grown or has changed into a pupa that the skunk cares to 
hunt it up, but then he is a thorough worker, and where the traces of 
skunk were seen on a hill it was very seldom that a larva or pupa could 
be found. It was thus that, relying on the large numbers of young 
larvpe found in early spring, I found in July, when I went to gather 
mature forms and pupsB, that everywhere the skunks had preceded 
me, so that it was with some difliculty I secured a few specimens, and 
later, when 1 requested a grower to send me a few, I received answer 
that none could be found. Of course some will escape and transform, 
unless reached by some other means, and I would recommend — 

Second. Search for and destruction of the pupse in early spring. 
This can be done without much additional labor when grubbing and 
cleaning the roots. Most growers assured me, when I had described 
or shown them the pupa, that they had seen the same thing every spring 
when grubbing, but had not connected them with the " grub," and had 
turned them under again when re-covering the roots. Instead of re- 
covering, destroy each pupa seen, and keep a sharp lookout for them in 
turning over the earth. A little experience will render the pupa readily 
recognizable. 

Third. Destroy them when tip-worms and in the " muffle heads." The 
" muffle heads" begin to appear when the vines have begun to climb, 
and when growers are beginning to tie. In selecting the vines to be 
trained on the pole be careful there are no " muffle heads," and wher- 
ever one is observed pick it off, and by comj)ression between the fingers 
destroy the larva in the tip. As all the vines have to be handled in se- 
lecting, very little time will be lost in picking off infested heads, and 
by going through the yards carefully every second day and picking off 



R.T^MEDIES AGAINST THE HOP GRUB 



37 




'' muffle beads" as tliey appear, a yard of considerable extent can be 

kept clear with little trouble; tbe larva^ do not appear to remain in the 

head more than a week or ten days, and that during the time when the 

vines are low, the tips within plain sight and easily reached. 

Fourth. If none of the preceding methods have succeeded in entirely 

ridding the yard of grubs, and as a matter of precaution, even if no 

(Uimage from grubs is observed, it is good policy to 

expose the roots for a few days ; but little trouble 

is necessary to do this, for before hilling the roots 

are but scarcely covered, and only enougli earth 

to bare the junction of the growing vine with the 

old root need be removed. This should be done 

early in June, when the larvaihave left the inside 

of the vines. They will not eat above ground, and 

will take to the old roots, to which they do little 

or no harm. Five or six days will be a sufficiently 

long time to expose the roots; then apply a hand- 
ful of a mixture of coal and wood ashes, 
or ammoniated phosphate, and hill high. 
Both of these substances have been nsed 
as remedies against the grub, and both 
successfully by some and unsuccessfullj^ 

by others ; the differences are- unreconcilable by the fact that 
in neither case was it the application of the ashes or phos- 
phates that destroyed or kept off the grub, but the treatment 
adopted in conjunction with these applications. If, in addition 
to the application of any desired fertilizer, the 
vines are hilled, and the hills made high, the vines 
will throw off rootlets above the main root and 
be able to derive sustenance from them, whereas 
when there are no hills, or the hills are low, when 
the grub does attack the vine it immediately de- 
prives it of a part of the necessary sustenance 
and impairs its vitality. Both the ashes and 
phosphate are repugnant to the grub, but not 
deadly, and it will dare them after a few days to 
get at its favorite location. Figs. 2, 3, and 4 ex- 
plain my meaning; the former is from a vine al- 
most eaten off, but still flourishing, being sus- 
tained by its rootlets, much longer and mor<'- 
numerous than indicated in the iigure, Avhile the 

two latter are from vines insufificieutly hilled, and which were killed 

by the grubs. The vine represented in Fig. 3 had been slightly bent 

and partially covered with earth and was attacked by three grubs in 

as many places. 

Parasites I have not found or heard of, but the larva of a Carabid, 

probably Calosoma calidum, is known to feed on the young grubs. A 



Fig. 3. 




38 BULLETIN NO. 4, DIVISION OF ENTOMOLOGY. 

jjeutleinan in Sangerfleld informs me that he several times tried the ex- 
periment of i)hicing a grab in the way of the larva, and each time it 
was set upon and immediately devoured. I found none of these larvae 
at Herkimer in June, and on July 22 the grubs had mostly changed to 
pupse, while the carabid larva had also disappeared. 1 could Jiot find 
ii specimen, nor could my informant, though he said they were common 
enough a few days previous. 

In the preceding account, the young grub is said to produce the 
" muiSe head," and this is correct ; but not all "muffle heads" are pro- 
duced by the grubs. My attention was called by several growers to 
yards where the vines were stunted, the tops imperfect; they refused to 
climb; the hills were called "slide downs," " foolish hills," or 'blighted," 
and, as a rule, the damage M'as attributed to the " fly," a little green 
leaf-hopper liereafter described. Several yards showed this appear- 
ance in nearly every hill, while in most yards there were some instances 
of it. At the Hop Extract works there was a yard, every hill of which 
was " blighted," and here I carefully examined the vines from root to 
tip to ascertain whether the trouble was caused b3' insects. My con- 
clusion is that it is not so caused, because while in some few hills I 
found the grub or traces of his work, most of the hills were absolutely 
free from all insect attack suflflcient to cause this appearance. The vines 
are short and bushy, the heads are fuzzy, the vines become wiry, hard, 
and bony toward the tip, the joints are but an inch or less apart, and the 
leaves imperfect. Tlie arms thrown out by the vine grow well at first, 
but in a short time become as bad as the main vine. No crop can be 
expected from such vines. I soon satisfied m.yself that nowhere above 
ground was any insect at work on the plants, and found also that the 
affected vines were wiry and unhealthy to the parent root, and that 
the parent root was entirely free from insect attack, but of a more shriv- 
eled, unhealthy appearance than in normal hills. I found, too, that 
this "blight" was universal in low, moist ground; that hill yards were 
almost entirely free from it, and where it occurred in a hill yard it 
was in some depression where the water could accumulate; during the 
spring, rains were frequent and heavy, and the ground was sodden and 
unfit for working for some time, and early in the season there were 
several frosts soon after soaking rains. 

The conclusion is that the frost nipped the vines in the moist grounds 
while it had no effect on the hill yards where the drainage was rapid and 
complete. At all events, whatever be the cause of this "blight" it is 
not attributable to insects. A "muffle head" caused by the grub can 
be at a glance distinguished from a " blighted" vine by the long Joints 
and otherwise healthy condition of the vine. The "blight" shortens 
the joints and affects all the arms of the vine, while the " grub" affects 
only the heads inhabited by it and does not otherwise cause any abuor. 
mal appearances. 

Note. — I liave given this insect the name Rydroecia immanis Gn., 
though on close comparison with the Enropean H. micacea Esp. I can 



THE HOP SNOUT-MOTH. 39 

find no (iift'ereuce except in size. Giienee says the larva of micacea is of 
a carueous-gray color aud that it lives in sedges. Lederer says the 
larvue are pale yellow, with darker tubercles and horny plate on the 
neck, and live when young in the stems, later on the tuberous roots of 
Gacalia. 8epp figures the larva of micacea as of an obscure violet, in the 
stems of Bmnex. This range of variation includes the different appear- 
ances assumed by our larva in its growth, but for the present, perhaps, 
the species had better be retained as distinct. R. ohliqua Harvey, is, 
however, undoubtedly only a local variation of immanis ; and as hop- 
growing in Washington Territory, whence that insect comes, is assum- 
ing large dimensions, we may expect soon to hear complaints of damage 
done there by the " grub." 

THE HOP SNOUT-MOTH. 

{Hypena humuU Harr.) 
The larva of a small, obscurely colored and marked moth was found 
in spring, at Herkimer, in a single low-lying yard, A hill yard close by 
was entirely free from it, and at Waterville I found no traces of it. The 
caterpillar is pea-green, speckled with minute black dots giving rise to 
short hairs, and there are two paler whitish lines on the back and one 
on each side ; it has 14 legs, aud when walking bends up the back a 
little. On June 22 I found a few specimens of the larvae ; they were then 
about ail inch in length and very active, dropping from the leaf the 
moment they noticed approaching disturbance and making for some 
place of concealment on reaching the ground. The few specimens I 
gathered died. On July 14, in the same yard, I saw perhaps half a 
dozen specimens of about the same size. They did no particular harm, 
eating holes in some of the lower leaves, but not to a noticeable extent. 
The larva when full-grown spins a thin, silken cocoon in a folded leaf 
or in some crevice, changes to a brown chrysalis and soon after comes 
forth as a moth whose wings measure about an inch or a little more 
when expanded. The color varies from rust to black brown ; they are 
slightly mottled with paler markings, have an oblique paler dash at 
the tip, and a scalloped, more or less distinct, pale transverse line beyond 
the middle of the fore wings. The hind wings are dusky, without evi- 
dent markings. A i)eculiar feature of the moth and (me by which it can 
be easily known is the projecting snout, formed by the long, flattened 
palpi or mouth-feelers which are held close together and projecting bori- 
zontally forward. There are said to be two broods, but I did not succeed 
in finding the larva again later in the season, and to nearly all growers 
of whom I inquired the insect was entirely unknown. Should it be- 
come numerous it can be controlled by taking advantage of its habit 
of at (nice dropping to the ground when disturbed j by brushing with a 
stick up aud down the vines the larva will be induced to drop to the 
ground where a big foot, rightly placed, will prove a complete remedy. 
It will not take long and need be done but once or twice. 



40 BULLETIN NO. 4, DIVISION OF ENTOMOLOGY. 

THE COMMA BUTTERFLY. 
( Vanessa comma Harr.) 

The larvaj of this species were quite destructive in some districts, 
notably about Cooperstown, this spring,. but they disappeared early in 
July. The vines soon recovered, and appeared to sufter no permanent 
injury. 

This larva is the "thorny green worm" of some letters to local news- 
papers. It is usually of a green color, but varies from almost white to 
yellowish brown, dusted with a tine, whitish powder in some specimens. 
The head is furnished with two blackish, branched spines, while the 
spines with which the body is furnished vary in color with that of the 
other parts, but are always tipped with black. When fully grown it 
is between IJ and 2 inches in length, and then transforms into a chry- 
salis of a woody brown color, furnished with spines on the body, a nose- 
like projection in front near the head, and ornamented with golden or 
silver spots. These chrysalids are known to growers and those engaged 
in hop-yards as "hop merchants," and according as the color of the 
metallic spots is golden or silver, so will the price of hops range high or 
low, so the story goes. The butterfly which emerges from these chrys- 
alids expands from 2 to 2^ inches ; ui^per side tawny orange, fore wings 
bordered and spotted with black; hind wings shaded with dark brown, 
with two black spots in the middle, and three more in a transverse row 
from the front edge and a row of bright orange-colored spots before the 
hind margin ; outer edges of the wings powdered with reddish white ; 
under side marbled with liglit and dark brown, the hind wings with a 
silvery comma in the middle. 

These insects are usually kept in check by minute parasites, which 
deposit their eggs in the caterpillar, so that not one in ten ever attains 
the butterfly state. Still, they occasionally become numerous enough to 
do considerable damage, and require measures to reduce their numbers. 
The best of these is hand-picking. The only time they ever prove de- 
structive is in early summer, when the first brood approaches its full 
size, and at a time when work in the yards and about the vines, trim- 
ming, tying, &c., is continually going on, and wherever they are per- 
ceived they should be at once picked oft' and destroyed. They are sel- 
dom numerous, but their size and voracity make their work very ap- 
parent. As when young they feed, if not in company, yet close together, 
an entire brood can often be destroyed in a moment, and by a little 
labor directed to that end a yard can be kept clear of these insects. The 
second brood does not seem ever to be perceived, ^ind I could not learn 
that they had ev^er done any appreciable damage. In fall I found the 
larvfe few and fiir between, and the chrysalids I collected were one and 
all infested with parasites. 



CATERPILLAiiS THAT FEED ON THE HOP-VINE. 4 1 

THE WHITE-MAKKED TUSSOCK MOTH. 

{Orgyia leucostigma Siu. &• Abb.) 

This onuiivorous insect 1 found in some numbers on the hop; not 
sufficiently numerous to attract the attention of growers, but suffi- 
ciently abundant to form the nucleus from which future broods may 
sprin*: ; numerous enough to demand notice. The larva, when full- 
grown, i.s from 1 to 1^ inches in length, of a bright yellow color, spar- 
ingly clothed at the sides with pale hair. There is a dusky stripe on 
each side, and a darker or black stripe on the back ; the head and two 
little warts on the ninth and tenth rings are bright coral red ; there 
are two tufts or pencils of long, black hair on the first segment, and a 
single, similar tuft on the eleventh ; the fourth, fifth, sixth, and sev- 
enth segments have each a thick brush of short, stout, yellow hair, giv- 
ing the larva rather an odd but at the same time pretty appearance. 
When full grown it spins a cocoon, and transforms into a whitish pupa. 
The female moth, emerging from the pupa, is wingless, and never moves 
further than the upper side of the cocoon from which she emerged. 
The male is winged ; the wings expand about 1 inch; are of a deep ash 
gray, crossed by darker lines. The eggs are laid on the empty cocoon 
of the female ; are covered by a white, frothy matter which soon hard- 
ens ; and, when laid in the fall, do not hatch until the following spring. 

These insects can be easily controlled. The cocoons and egg-masses 
are attached either to the leaves, vines, or hop poles, or occasionally to 
fences surrounding the yard. The vines are usually burnt when pick- 
ing is over, and the egg masses on the vines are thus destroyed ; the 
poles should be examined either when stacked for the winter or when 
set in the spring, and the adhering egg-masses should be collected and 
destroyed. Being white, they are easily seen, and as each egg-mass 
contains the embryos of caterpillars enough to eat up all the vines on 
a hill, the time emi:>loyed in collecting it is not entirely wasted. During 
the winter, or in early spring, the fences surrounding the yards should 
be examined and the egg-masses picked off and destroyed. In this 
way yards can be kept free of this pest. 

THE FALL WEB WORM. 

{Spilosoma cunea Drnry) 

In several yards I noticed the vines on a number of poles enveloped 
by the web of the common Fall web- worm, so often seen on fruit trees. 
There is no need to describe the insect, as it is so well known, and there 
is no need for hop-growers to sufter any loss from it, for the whole 
colony can be destroyed when first noticed by simply cutting off the 
arms and leaves which are spun up and trampling them under foot. 



42 BULLETIN NO. 4, DIVISION OF ENTOMOLOGY. 

THE HICKORY TUSSOCK-MOTH. 

[nalfsidoia caryw Harr.) 

At Water\ ille and vicinity I found a number of caterpillars, when 
fully <;rown about one inch or a little more in length. The head and 
under side of the body are black ; the upper part, so far as can be per- 
ceived, is white, sprinkled with black dots, and with transverse lines 
between the rings. They are covered with short, spreading tufts of 
white hair, with a row of eight black tufts on the back, and two long, 
slender, black pencils on the fourth and tenth rings. The tufts along 
the back are so close together as to form an apparently unbroken ridge 
of vshort, dense, and somewhat bristly hair. The hair on the front part 
of the body is longer than the rest and overhangs the head. These 
caterpillars are full-grown about the 10th of September, spin a cocoon 
in some crevice, under stones or in heaps of rubbish, and transform into 
a brown chrysalis. In June following the moths appear. They expand 
from 1 J to 2 inches ; the fore wings are long, pointed, of a pale ocher- 
yellow color, finely sprinkled with brown dots, and crossed by four 
irregular rows of large white and semi-transparent spots. 

The caterpillars do not seem to feed very heartily, as even where 
they were most plenty the leaves were not noticeably eaten. They are 
nowhere very abundant, have not been known to do any serious injury, 
and are probably kept in check by the fact that before they are ready 
to spin up the vines are cut down, and then, when forced by want of food 
to make their cocoons in the piles of vines, they are destroyed when 
the vines are burnt. 

THE HOP PLANT LOOSE. 

{Aphis [Phorodon] humuU Schrauk.) 

This insect is well known to all growers, and was especially injurious 
during the past season, the hops being rendered universally of an infe- 
rior grade, and many spots so greatly injured that they were not picked. 
For many years past the hops have been more or less injured by lice, 
but this year they were especially abundant, the universal testimony of 
all growers being to the eftect that never before had they known of such 
injury caused by them. Nothing at all was done to combat them, the 
worst infested parts of the yards only being first picked, sometimes a' 
little before fully ripened, and most of the energy and ingenuity being 
devoted to blea(;hing out of the hoj) all trace of the " mildew " and 
" rot " caused by the insects. 

As in respect to these insects my notes are full, I will simply tran- 
scribe them. 

Ju7ie 21. — At Herkimer, in Mr. Pine's yards, examined carefully for 
aphids, but find no traces of them. Mr. Pine says his low-lying yards 



THE HOP PLANT-LOUSE. 43 

suffer most; he had them last year and previous years, but uever sees 
them as early as this. 

June 23. — At Mr. Harter's yard find no lice ; it is a hill yard, cleanly 
cultivated, flourishing, and remarkably free from insects of all kinds. 

July 14, 15, 16. — Examined vines for aphids, none found any where. 

July 17. — Went to Mohawk; saw Mr. Steele and examined his yard; 
no aphids ; says his yard, being on a hillside, well drained, always a 
current of air through it, suffers very little from insects, and while he 
has each year some lice, he does not suffer any appreciable damage. 
Hot, dry weather favors hops and is bad for lice, the reverse is bad for 
hops, good for lice. 

July 19. — Arrived at Waterville with Mr. Cutter, of the Waterville 
Times. I visited the Hannover farm ; found the first a])hids I had 
seen, very few indeed, small in size, wingless ; a single one to a leaf 
only. Visited Mr. Risley's yard; no lice here. Visited Mr. CoggeshalPs 
yard; Itce more plentiful here than anywhere else so far, and yet not 
numerous; the^^ had evidently been here for some days, because there 
■were large specimens, and on the same leaf a varying number of small 
and very small specimens, as many as seven or eight on a leaf, evi- 
dently the progeny of the old one. Not many leaves are affected, how- 
ever, mainly the lower, large leaves, and very dense vines are more 
affected than the others. 

July 20. — Visited the Hop Extract works, and spent most of the day 
in the yards there; the low, wet yard has a fair sprinkling of medium 
sized and very small wingless lice. The hill yard is as yet clear. Mr. 
Lawrence says a few sultry days will suffice to cover the vines. He 
finds winged ones in immense numbers in late fall in his storerooms, 
but they disappear soon after, and he never saw them in winter. 

July 21, a. m. — With Mr. Eastman, of the Hannover farm, visited hop 
yards toward Saugerfield and vicinity; lice everywhere now, but in 
small numbers; always more abundant on low ground. Saw "honey 
dew" for the first time. The current belief is that this is produced by 
the lice, but there certainly are not lice enough now to produce all this 
"honey dew.'' Mr. Eastman and Mr. Fees think the lice have nothing 
to do with it; say they have seen lice without honey dew, and honey 
dew in abundance where there were no lice. 

p. m. — Went to Deans ville and saw Mr. Jenks. Mr. Jenks is a 
microscoj)ist and has paid some attention to lice; says he has seen 
winged lice, males, early in spring, /. e. about May 20 ; saw at that 
time also wingless forms, females. Finds both on the stem of the 
vines, not far from the roots and crawling upward ; later finds them on 
the lower leaves and then they disappear for a month or more. They 
are beginning to reappear now. Has never found them on the roots in 
the winter and never looked for them ; never saw theuj in grubbing 
time. 



44 BULLETIN NO. 4, DIVISION OF ENTOMOLOGY. 

('ranberry insects now demanded my attention, and my notes cease 
until — 

September 4. — Went to Mr. Risley's yard; find them picking ; lice not 
over abundant; plenty everywhere, bnt not doing any serious injury to 
the hops ; in a few places only the hops are beginning to show traces of 
mold ; winged forms are scarce, but there are a few. 

p, m. — With Mr. Cutter went to the Hannover farm; picking is going 
on, fnll blast; lice are not over abundant, less than they have been be- 
fore the cold snap (the night of the 3d and 4th the temperature fell to 
the freezing point); winged forms in small numbers. Saw Mr. Sylves- 
ter Gridley and his yard ; lice plenty; hops fair, but in some spolsbadly 
damaged by the mold caused by lice. This is the worst so far. Mr. 
Gridley says he has seen the lice when grubbing ; he has cultivated , 
hops for many years, has always had more or less trouble with lice, and 
knows them perfectly; he was superintending grubbing, and was called 
by some of the men to look at some hills they were at work upon ; found 
thatthe young shoots were completely covered with lice ; whether winged 
or not he cannot say; saw this on several hills; the lice were of full 
size. Mr. Gridley's men claim that they have found the lice on the 
poles when setting them in spring. 

September 5. — Hop Extract yard. Lice here very abundant, especially 
in the low, " blighted" yard ; in some places they form double layers; to- 
ward the tips and on joints they are especially plentiful, often forming 
balls half an inch in diameter; many leaves are sucked dry; they 
shrivel up, become brown, and die, and the inhabiting lice with them; 
many vines were entirely brown and dry ; the hops were covered inside 
and out, and were all moldy and rotting. There are many winged forms 
and many with rudimentary wings — pupa'. 1 noticed none of these 
yesterday. The night has been cold; this day, warm. 

September G. — The night has been cold; at the Extract yards the lice 
are not more numerous, but pupsB and winged forms are largely on the 
increase. Went to Deans ville and called at all yards on my way. 
Everywhere the lice are fearfully abundant, and the hops are molding 
fast. The entire crop this way is tainted and lessened in value. On a 
bag of hops picked yesterday and left out over night the lice cover the 
outside in a layer fully an inch thick. Where the vines have been piled 
up clumps of lice, 4 to 6 inches in diameter, aggregated into a globular 
mass of living matter, are seen. The number is incredibh', and the 
thing must be seen to be believed or appreciated. Toward ev^ening it 
became warmer and I noticed swarms of the aphids on the wing. 
Though I watched long and carefully I could not.tind that they mated. 

September 7. — The night has been warm. To day it is warm and show- 
ery. At the Extract yards lice are, if possible, more numerous than 
yesterday. A notable fact is that while yesterday there seemed to be 
no very small forms and a large number of pupie, to-day there are many 
winged specimens, there are very few pupj© and a new batch of very 



THE HOI' PLANT-LOUSE. 45 

small .specimens, evidently uot mauy hours old, and ou every leaf I ob- 
served the process of bringing forth living young. None- of the winged 
insects were so engaged. These were more active and less patient of 
observation, nor did I observe that any pupte or those forms with but 
rudimentary wings brought forth young. 

p. ra. — In Mr. Eisley's yard lice less abundant than elsewhere. Ou 
the whole, Mr. Kisley'syard and the yards in the immediate vicinity are 
much less bothered with the lice than any other yards I have seen. 
Nothing particular to note except the small number of winged speci- 
mens and the entire absence of pupse. 

September 8. — Rain; temperature warm ; lice are not active, and repro- 
duction does not seem to be going on, but I spent only a short time 
"between drops" in the yards. 

September 9. Sunday ; rain all day ; temperature high ; evening closed 
in warm and muggy. 

September 10. — Went to Oriskany Falls, Sangerfield Center, and the 
Hannover farm during the day. Lice in all yards more abundant than 
ever. The vines are one mass of the beasts. Merely walking under 
them I became covered. Ou the stems, leaf-stalks, and especially at 
the joints, there were three, and even four, layers of the insects, while 
on the ground, globular masses, 4 to 6 inches in diameter, were every- 
where seen where the vines had been pulled and hops picked ; every- 
thing is covered with lice, and everywhere thej show that same tend- 
ency to bunch themselves. 

September 11. — At Cooperstown, called on Mr. J. F. Clark and saw 
his yard. ISTothing noteworthy in his yard. In the yards between Rich- 
field Spa and Coojierstown picking is about over, and here many have 
finished picking and all are nearly done. Mr. Clark says that this 
spring, when grubbing — about the middle of March — one of his men 
turned up with the grubbing hook a mass of living lice ,• the mass was 
globular and as big as a fist. The man, whom I questioned closely, 
says they were about 6 inches or more underground, near to, but not on, 
the roots ; he called the attention of his fellow-workmen to them and 
they broke up the mass to make certain they were really lice, and he 
is positive that they were identical with the lice now in the yards. 
Cannot say whether any of them were winged. Mr. Clark, also, has 
noticed the lice ou the vines when they were still very low. 

September 12. — Speutpart of day in Mr. Clark's yard and with him grub- 
bing up hills where picking had been over for some time. Everywhere 
in the ground we found lice — rarely singly, but in small masses, from 
three to ten, or more. In recently-picked spots they were numerous 
and close to the surface ; in older spots they were more scarce and 
much deeper down ; one mass of eight was found at least 10 inches 
below ground. Afterward I examined the spaces upon which the vines 
from which the hops had been picked were piled ; where the vines were 



46 HULLETIN NO. 4, DIVISION OF ENTOMOLOGY. 

dry tbey were clear of living lice, but on the ground they were every- 
where crawling, making their way into crevices. 

Thus tar the excerpts from my notes. 

I remained for a few days longer, until picking was over and the lice 
had di8api)eared, most of them destroyed, no doubt, by the deprivation 
of food and the numerous enemies, in the way of predaceous larvae and 
small beetles of the Tachys group, which were everywhere abundant in 
the yards; but a large number of fully-matured forms, apterous and 
winged, no doubt found winter quarters. As several persons claimed 
to have found the lice on the poles in spring, I examined many poles 
after they had been stacked. Where the yard had been but recently 
picked, lice were found on the outside, in the crevices, and under the 
bark. In yards that had been picked and the poles stacked two weeks 
or more, very few were found, and they far in the crevices and fissures^ 
none under the bark or in the crevices of the bark. The probability is 
that but few winter in the poles. 

A brief resume of the results of my investigations is this : The lice are 
found in the ground as early as March (Clark); they are seen shortly 
after on the very young shoots scarcely above ground (Gridley); theik 
on the young vines not more than three or four feet high, apterous and 
winged (Jenks). They disappear early in June, for notwithstanding 
close search I tailed to find any, nor could 1 learn of any having been 
then seen. lu July, about the middle or toward the end of the mouthy 
single apterous individuals appear on the lower leaves ; these produce 
living young, which are also apterous, and in two or three days also pro- 
duce like young ; this continues until the weather becomes cold, and theu 
winged individuals appear. When the hops are picked, the fully devel- 
oped individuals enter the ground, crevices on poles, and probably 
other sheltered situations. In the early part of the season the results^ 
are all viviparous females; early in September winged individuals begin 
to api^)ear. 

As to the mode in which they do their damage : Numerous as they 
become, did they only attack the leaves or stems of the plant the 
abundant vitality of the plant would still ripen the hops, though they 
might not be quite so full ; but not satisfied with the leaves they go into 
the hop, i. e., into the burr, and there puncture the delicate leaves; the 
sap exudes, ferments, and a fungus attacks it — the hops mold, become 
specked, lose vitality, and finally decay. Not always do the lice enter 
the hop; sometimes they have been very abundant and yet hops have 
not suffered, because the insects confined their attacks to the leaves. 
Dry, hot weather will keep them out of the hop, and will somewhat 
retard their increase. Hot, moist weather, or rainy weather with cold 
spells, will in the one case so favor their increase that they will cover 
the whole vine ; and in the otlier, while retarding their development^ 
cause them to seek shelter in the hop itself. 

Nor are all varieties of hops equally affected by the vermin. " Hum- 



REMEDIES AGAINST THE HOP PLANT-LOUSE. 47 

phreys" and "Canadas," both red and white, are uot apt to niokl, but the 
"Euglisli" and '"Cluster" suffer greatly and mold readily. The reason 
for this is in the form of the hop. "Humphreys" and "•Canadas", after 
burring out, remain open, i. e., the burrs do not close or shut down as 
they do in the "Clusters." The result is, in the first case there is venti- 
lation enough, the exudation from the punctures and from the lice does 
not ferment, and molil does not form ; in the second there is no ventila- 
tion, and first fermentation and then decay set in rapidly. " Hum- 
phreys" suffer least of all, and as they are an early hoj) they can be 
picked before the final host which attacks the hop is hatched. 
" Cauadas " come next ; they are later, but not only is the hop less liable 
to mold, but the vine itself seems less to the taste of the aj^hids than 
are the "English" and "Clusters." 

REMEDIES. 

All sorts of remedies have been proposed and tried, with more or less 
success. Washes of whale-oil soap and syringing with decoctions of 
quassia have been tried by growers, with partial success. The numbers 
were decreased for a short time, but the loss was soon made up, and the 
labor was so great that operations were suspended, the more readily as 
the growers do not desire to risk tainting the flavor of the hop by 
washes. 

The great error in all these cases was that the application was not 
made until after the insects were in full force, and the vines high up, 
almost out of reach; of course under these circumstances it was impos- 
sible to do more than temporarily reduce the numbers. 

The attack should be begun in spring. When grubbing, the roots 
and young shoots should be examined, and any aphids that may be 
found destroyed. As the vines increase in size they should be carefully 
examined every few days, and when the lice appear these should be de- 
stroyed by hand, for the number will not be large and the method is 
certain. In my opinion it is now, if at all, that the winged female ovi- 
posits or lays her eggs — not more than one or two on a leaf, and proba- 
bly close to the midrib. If this can be prevented it will save the crop, 
and that it should be prevented it is necessary to attack the insects 
when they first appear. Then, when the first of the late forms appear, 
about the middle of July, they will be found mainly on the lower leaves, 
wingless and in very small numbers; they spread very slowly at first, 
and afford the grower ample opijortunitj', should he desire to avail him- 
self of it, for destroying them by means of washes or otherwise ; as the 
season advances, they become numerous, spread all over the vine, and 
are then practically out of reach. 

As good a wash as can probably be found is a solution of carbolic acid, 
either "Squibb's solution," containing 1 per cent, of the crude phenols, 
which can be diluted with seventy-five times its bulk of water and stiU 



48 BULLETIN NO. 4, DIVLSION OF ENTOMOLOGY. 

prove effective, or some of the many carbolic soaps recommended for 
that purpose. 

Soluble phenyl (Little's) has been recently recommended as a valua- 
ble insecticide, and it is said that a teaspoonful of the liquid in four 
gallons of water will suffice to destroy aphids. If this be so (and it is 
worthy of a trial) it will make a very cheap washj and should be freely 
used when first the insects make their appearance. 

NATURAL ENEMIES. 

The hop louse is not without its enemies in the insect world, and quite 
a number of species feed on it, and in ordinary years suffice to prevent 
its too rapid increase. Prominent among these are the "lady-birds'* 
and their larva? known as "niggers." Three species of the lady-birds 
are found in abundance on the vines. The most numerous is the two- 
spotted lady-bird {Adalia Mpunctata), a small red species, with two black 
spots on the wing covers. Next comes the nine-spotted lady-bird {Goo- 
cinella 9-tiotata), a larger species, with nine black spots on its yellowish- 
red wing covers; and least numerous of all is the twice-stabbed lady, 
bird [ChiloGorus Mvulnerus), smaller than either, entirely black, except 
two blood-red spots on the wing covers. The larvae of these species 
are all very much alike, of an elongate, flat form, tapering toward the 
tip, with six legs; of a grayish-black color, spotted and marked with red 
or yellow. They are very active and very rapacious, feeding almost con- 
tinually, and each larva destroys many aphids before attaining maturity. 
When full-grown they attach themselves by the tail to a leaf, curl up into 
a round pellet, and in a few days transform into the perfect beetle, which 
also feeds on the Aphis, but is not so voraciously .as the larva. There 
are several broods of the insect in the season, the last transforming into 
the perfect insect about the middle or toward the end of Sejitember. The 
beetles hibernate in crevices of fences, under bark of trees, or stones, or 
wherever else they can find shelter, and reappear in spring to continue 
the work where they left off the year before. Were it possible to pre- 
serve a sufficient number of these insects through the winter, so that a 
goodly number of them would be on hand in early spring, the lice would 
never be(;ome numerous enough to do injury ; as it is, but few sur- 
vive the winter, and before they become numerous the lice, propagating 
more rapidly, become so plenty that they are beyond control. But, 
seriously, there is no reason why these coccinellids cannot be wintered. 
They become very numerous in fall, and several hundreds of them could 
be collected without difficulty, put into a large box with plenty of loose 
rubbish, and put into some cool place not exi^osed to the fiercest cold 
nor yet so warm as to cause them to become active — a barn or cellar 
would answer. The box should be covered so as to prevent the entrance 
of spiders which would feed on them. In spring the box could be placed 
in the open air, and the insects would then scatter through the yards in 
search of suitable places to deposit eggs. 1 firmly believe that this could 



THE HOP-VINE LEAF-HOPPER. 49~ 

be clone without much trouble, aud that this would prove the best pos- 
sible remedy to prevent the spread of or damage by tlie aphids. 

Another enemy is the larva of a Syrphus fly, which I find in small 
numbers on the vines. This hirva is of a uniform yeHowish- white color, 
about one-fourth of an inch in length, with a stout body tapering to the 
head. It is a slimy insect, with no perceptible legs or liead, but a mere 
rounded opening for a mouth. It ghies itself fast in a ]>ositiou where 
lice are abundant, and, stretching its head in every direction, seizes all 
lice within its reach, and when it has cleared all within its reach moves 
on to a new center of operations. 

The lice are also attacked by a disease, apparently of a fungoid na- 
ture. I noticed several instances where all the lice on a leaf appeared 
unnaturally large or swollen, and of a brownish-yellow color. On being 
handled they crumbled into a very light brownish, granular dust. The 
disease does not appear to be widespread, and I cannot give any nearer 
details as to its nature or origin. 

THE HOP VIXE LEAF-HOPPEK.* 

[Typhloeyha sp.) 

An insect known as the '' green fly" is pretty generally found in hop 
yards all through the summer, and sometimes very numerous. This 
insect has been said to "sting the heads" and to cause "slide down" or 
"foolish hills," while others claim it does no damage whatever. The 
insect is of a greenish to yellowish color, with a short, broad head, long, 
narrow body, and two pairs of wings, the first narrow, long, and yellow- 
ish-green, with a dark dot on each, the hind wing broad and transparent. 
The legs are yellow, the posterior pair very long and stout, the shanks 
set with spines, and as a whole fitted for leaping. The young or imma- 
ture forms resemble the full-grown insects in all points, except that they 
want wings. They are very active, leaping off at the least disturbance, 
and when full-grown using their wings as well as their legs to good ad- 
vantage. The adults hibernate in crevices, in barns, or wherever they 
can find shelter, and appear in spring as soon as vegetation appears. 
They mate and breed all through the season, and become very numerous 
occasionally. They seem to be somewhat local, as in some yards I could 
not find them at all,, while in others close by they were abundant. As 
a rule, yards badly infested with aphids had none of these hoppers, 
while Mr. Risley's yard, which was by all odds most free from aphids, 
had these hopiiers more numerous than they were elsewhere. 

These insects do not damage the hops; they are found most usually 
on the lower leaves (^. e., not more than 5 or 6 feet up the pole), and feed 
by puncturing one of the ribs and sucking the sap. The injury done 
by them consists in so weakening the veins that they are unable to 

*Thi8 insect is an undescribed species of Typhlocyba, but the material received and submitted to Mr • 
P. R. Uhler is considered by him in too poor condition to permit of proper characteiization. — 0. Y. B. 

8993— Bul. 4 4 



50 BULLETIN NO. 4, DIVISION OF ENTOMOLOGY. 

accomplisli their work, and the leaf loses vitality. Where these insects 
have made a puncture on the rib, a woody scar remains, and where 
these scars are numerous those parts of the leaf farthest from the main 
ribs are thinner and more flaccid than in healthy leaves; and such 
leaves, and no others, are affected by the "honey dew." A few of tlio 
leaves turn brown, but the vine is not in the least injured and the qual- 
ity or quantity of the crop is not in the least aflfecited. 

The same remedies used against the A[)his will prove useful against 
these insects. 

In addition to the insects hereinbefore enumerated, there are a few 
beetles, belonging to the Chrysomeluke or leaf-eating beetles, and prin- 
cipally the flea beetles. Most common of the latter is the red-headed 
flea beetle {Systena frontalis)^ a black beetle about a quarter of an inch 
in length, witli a red head, and with very heavy hind legs; a good 
jumper and no mean flyer. Next comes the striped flea beetle {Phyllo- 
treta vittata), a black beetle less than one-tenth of an inch in length, with 
two yellow stripes on the wing covers. Finally comes the punctured 
flea beetle {PsyUiodes punctulata), a brownish species, less than one- 
sixteenth of an inch in length. None of these are very numerous, and 
they are not found in all yards nor all together in nny one yard. They 
eat small holes in the leaves and do no great damage. 

The twelve-spotted leaf beetle {Diabrotlca 12-punctata), a yellow bee- 
tle about a quarter of an inch in lepgth, with twelve spots on the wing 
covers, has the same habit, and appears in small numbers in all yards. 



OBSERVATIONS ON THE ROCKY MOUNTAIN LOCUST DURING THE 

SUMMER OF 1883. 

L5y Lawrence Bruner.* 

Washington, D. C, October 30, 1883. 

Sir : Herewith I submit to you a report of ray trip through the Rocky 
Mountain region during the past summer, made for the purpose of 
studying insects injurious to agriculture, but more especially for the 
purpose of obtaining such data as would enable me to foretell the proba- 
ble aspect of the locust question for the year 1884. 

According to instructions, F left here on the 3d of May, and proceeded 
to my homr at West Point, Nebr., where I procured an assistant and 
completed my preparations for the trip. From there we first proceeded 
to Albuquerque, N^. iNIex., via the Union Pacific and the Atchison, 
Topeka and Santa Fe Railroads, where we made a short stay, obtaining 
such data as we could relative to locusts and other insects injuring 
grain, vegetables, and fruits. Upon our arrival there we found the sea- 
son very backwanl and all kinds of insects quite scarce; hence, after a 
few days' collecting, we proceeded northward to the Taos Valley, a rich 
farming district, where we spent almost two weeks gathering such data 
as we coidd concerning various insects. In these efforts we were much 
ini;oiivenieMced by tlie prevalence of small-pox in the various villages 
throughout the valley, and on account of the backwardness of the sea- 
son, as well as the extreme ignorance of the natives in general upon 
questions relative to insect life. We did, however, succeed in obtain- 
ing some data in reference to the migratory locust {Caloptemis spretus) 
during the years of invasion. We also procured a small series of some 
of the insects found here in early spring. 

Upon leaving Taos Valley we proceeded northward by wagon to Fort 
Garland, Colo., crossing on the way several small valleys in which farm- 
ing is the chief occupation of the inhabitants. Here, too, we encoun- 
tered thedifticulties exi)erienced while at Taos and neighboring villages, 
at times finding it difficult to obtain even the necessities of life. At 
Fort Garland we were detained several days on account of the sickness 
of my assistant. While here, the weather was quite cold and the post 



* Mr. Brnner's instructions were, in brief, to make all necessary preparations at his home in West 
Point, Nehi-.. and thence to proceed directly to South Colorado and New Mexico, spending a week or 
more in Ihi- Tans Valley. Thence he was instructed to return north by way of Fort Steele, and work 
into tlie Bij; Horn country, eventually striking the Northern Pacific Railroad and proceeding to Fort 
Bnfiird, find tlience directly home. 

The chief object of the trip was to ascertain all facts relating to Caloptcnus spretus in the country 
in(Uc:ite<l that would enable him to make a report as to the prospects for 1884, and also to collect facts 
upon insects injuriously atiecting any cultivated crop in the .settled portion of the region traversed. 

51 



52 BULLETIN NO. 4, DIVLSION OF ENTOMOLOGY. 

was visited by a snow-storm. From this locality I forwarded to the 
Department a sample of plant that is said to icill stock, and is known in 
this section as the "loco" weed.* From Fort Garland we returned north- 
ward via Denver and Rio Grande Railway to Denver, and thence to Fort 
Collins, where we were detained until July 1 on account of the scarcity 
of funds. While there, we occupied the time in collecting and examin- 
ing wheat fields for insects, as well as in studying' the preparatory stages 
of different locusts. From Fort Collins we proceeded by wagon to the 
Korth Park, where we expected to obtain some data and material in 
special directions, but upon our arrival in the park we found we were 
too late to procure what we were after. We therefore, after learning 
that the streams were still too much swollen to reach the higher eleva- 
tions, proceeded to Laramie City, Wyo. After a few days' detention at 
this point we left for Rock Creek Station, on the Union Pacific Railway, 
from which latter point we proceeded by stage to Junction City, Mont., 
the route by which we traveled taking us across the well-grassed plains 
between Forts Fetterman and McKinuey and along the eastern tianks 
of the Big Horn Mountains, a section admirably adapted to be a breeding 
ground for (7. spretus. On this trip we laid over a few days at Fort 
McKinney and part of a day at Custer's battle-field, to collect. 

From Junction City, with your permission, we deviated from the 
original plan and proceeded westward instead of following down the 
valley of the Yellowstone to its junction with the Missouri and thence 
across the plains lying to the northward between this river and the 
Souris. We first went to Bozeman, where we procured horses, after 
which we rode across the country via the valleys of the Yellowstone, 
Upper Madison, and Snake Rivers into that of the Salmon River. On 
this trip we also collected at various points along the route, besides 
making numerous inquiries relative to the migratory locusts. Upon our 
arrival at Salmon City, Idaho, we found that our time which had been 
allotted for field work had almost expired. After a few days had been 
spent upon the object of our trip, we returned to the railroad, where we 
took the train for Ogden. Arriving at Ogden, we found that we still 
had some time at our disposal ; we therefore devoted it to collecting and 
in visiting the orchards of several of the principal horticulturists, both 
in the vicinity of Ogden and Salt Lake City. From Ogden we returned 
to Washington via West Point. 

I am pleased to be able to report that the leading feature of our notes 
for the summer's work is the comparative freedom from all insect plagues 
throughout the entire area traversed by us. 

The report you will observe is chiefly in the form of notes as they 
were taken down from time to time while in the field. 
I am, respectfully, yours, 

LAWRENCE BRUNER. 

Prof. C. V. Riley, 

United States Entomologist. 



* Oxytropis lambertii. 



THE ROCKY MOUNTAIN LOCUST IN J AOS VALLEY. 53 

MIGRATORY LOCUSTS. 

Taos Valley, June 2, 1883. 

The tirst locusts of which I could learu came into the Taos Valley from 
the east duriug the latter part of May, 1870. They were exceedingly 
numerous, and duriug the summer, all through whicli they remained, 
they destroyed almost the entire grain crop, leaving a little in only two 
or three small sections to the south and west of the town of Taos. 

In the fall (September) of the year they deposited numerous eggs, 
which hatched the following spring in great numbers, and much damage 
resulted during spring and summer (1877). After attaining wings, a few 
left to the westward, but the majority remained and deposited their 
eggs, which produced a third brood in the spring of 1878. 

In 1877 the crop averaged nearly one-half, and in 1878 a trifle over a 
half of the usual yield, but this last year many farmers had become dis- 
couraged and refused to plant; hence the crop planted was below the 
average for the valley. Duriug the locust visitation several modes of 
warfare were tried by a few of the most enterprising citizens, but with- 
out any great or decided results. It is related that wheu the locusts 
first appeared the storekeepers then in the valley ottered the inhabitants 
as a bounty a pound of coffee tor each pound of locusts captured and 
killed. At first this was uot hard on them, but shortly, as the country 
folk learned how to capture the locusts, the offer was withdrawn, as the 
coffee went too rapidly and without any apparent diminution iu the 
number of locusts. Methods for the destructiou of and protection 
from the young were various, and iu most instances quite similar to 
those adopted in other portions of the country. Coal oil or kerosene 
was used iu mixtures of various strengths and sprinkled on the crops, 
which for two or three days after the application was quite effectual in 
keeping oft" the young, but gradually, as the scent of the oil disappeared, 
the wheat also began to disappear before the little 'hoppers. Several 
tried oil on the surface of the water in the irrigating ditches with some 
little effect for the time being, but all to no purpose iu the end. Another 
method, and by far the most unique used, was the spreading^ of wagon 
sheets on the ground, after which the little hoppers were driven upon 
them, and then the sides gathered up and several large round stones 
dropped in and rolled about by keeping the sheet agitated until all the 
little fellows were killed. I was assured that a very large number of 
the young were destroyed in this manner. 

During the summer of 1878 those locusts that matured left to the 
westward, and it is claimed that since then none of this species have 
been seen in the valley. 

There is a valley 20 miles south of here in which there were a few in 1879 
and also in some isolated spots in 1880, but during neither of these years 
did they do very great or general injury to the crops over the valley. 
While in these valleys, in this portion of New Mexico, it is claimed that 



54 BULLETIN NO. 4, DIVISION OF ENTOMOLOGY. 

their movements were in unison, but not extensive, their flights being 
very short. 

The average elevation of Taos Valley is about 7,000 feet. Not a sin- 
gle si)ecimen, young or old, of this insect was observed from the time 
of leaving Poudre Canon to the time of reaclnng Laramie City on the 
10th of July, nor have any been seen or heard of since. While in North 
Park, Mr. Capern stated tlxat but few had been observed by him since 1879 
and 1880, when quite a number had hatched in portions of the park ; 
and it was during these years that they were frequently seen in the air, 
floating with the wind. From Laramie and Rock Creek, north, we were 
ever on the lookout for signs of this insect, but failed to see any before 
reaching Fort McKiuney. At this place we succeeded in capturing two 
fledged specimens and saw but one or two others. We did not ascer- 
tain much about their past ravages in this part of the country more 
than that, in 1877, they had been seen in the air in great numbers; 
also in 1876, and once or twice ])revious to this, when they flew in great 
numbers, and occasionally were noticed [)iled uj* in heaps upon the snow 
on the mountains where they fell as they became numbed while trying 
to cross the range. Again at Custer's battle-field we saw two or three 
more among the numerous other species of locusts that abounded 
among the rich grasses of the bottom lands and coulees, as well as 
lower hillsides. At Junction, on the Yellowstone River, none of this 
insect were noticed, though several allied forms were abundant both ou 
the river bottoms and among the sage-brush and bunch-grasses back 
among the hills and on the bench-lands. At Livingston, where the 
railroad leaves the Yellowstone Vallej', we noticed a great number of 
locusts, which, when I first saw them from the car windows, jumping 
about in the grass, I took for this species. Upon going out, the mistake 
was quickly observed. While there did not ap[)ear to be any G. spretus 
among the hosts of locusts, there were quite a large number of Camnula 
atrox, or pellucida. I also observed several of this species here in the 
vicinity of Bozeman (August 3). I have not, however, been able to 
learn of any damage having been committed by them in this valley 
the present season. Since leaving Bozeman, and while crossing the 
country along the Yellowstone Biver, we did not observe a single 
specimen of G. npreUis, either old or young, in the air or on the 
ground. During past years, however, they were reared in great num- 
bers throughout the National Park and Upper Snake River valleys 
when, at times, they were numerous enough to "almost obscure the 
sun "; at least I was so informed by a Mr. Livermore, who has a ranche 
at Henry's Lake. 

As to dates and particulars of flights, &c., he was nofc certain ; 
therefore I can give none of these. As we proceed down the valley of 
Henry's Fork toward the Snake Eiver there is a great tract of country 
crossed that at times has been the originating center for the great 
swarms that came into Cache Valley and other portions of northern 



LOCUST NOTES IN THE NORTHWEST. 55 

Utab and southern Llalio ; it is also quite impossible for nie to give 
any of the parti(;ulars as to dates, &c. Thus far (August 23) we have 
not met with a single C. spretus in Idaho, nor have we heard of their 
l)resence in any portion of the Territory. But as there is no accurate ac- 
count extant of the locust liistory for the region of Salmon River Valley 
and adjacent country, it may be well to give it in brief here. The first 
reliable account that I could obtain in reference to locust swarms dates 
back to the summer of 18G9, when they came in from the Snake River 
by way of Birch Creek and Wood River, and followed northward down 
both the Lemhi and the main branch of the Salmon to about Salmon 
City. These deposited eggs, thereby giving young locusts for 1870. 
Again, in 1871, locusts appeared in the vicinity of Lemhi Agency and 
Salmon City. From this time on till the summer of 1875 I was unable to 
learn of their appearance or presence in this portion of the Territory, 
but during this year (1875) they again appeared in great numbers, coming 
as before from the southeast and south, following dow^n the valleys of 
the two rivers heretofore named. This summer, as well as during the 
three following, they deposited great numbers of eggs and proved ex- 
ceedingly injurious to the few crops of grain and vegetables that were 
planted in the country (valleys). Since 1879, however, they have en- 
tirely disappeared from these regions.. The time of their appearing in 
the valley of the Salmon, I am told, varies from the middle of June to 
the first of August, after which latter date, if none have already come, 
the farmers consider themselves entirely safe as far as locust swarms 
are concerned. From what 1 could learn, there are no exceptions to the 
northward movement of swarms of G. spretus in this particular portion 
of Idaho, and judging from the surface configuration of the lower Salmon 
River country, I would imagine that all swarms leaving must cross over 
the range to the headwaters of the Bitterroot and Big-Hole Rivers, 
which streams they follow down, and thereby divide and reach difterent 
portions of the Territory of Montana. As far as my inquiries went, no 
data were obtained of methods having been adopted for their destruc- 
tion in the various stages of their growth, which differed in any way 
from those used in other portions of the West, and already described 
in former rei)orts. The parasites, t^o, do not appear to have varied 
from those in other sections of the locust area. 

CAMNULA ATROX. 

In connection with the migratory locust this insect deserves separate 
notice, as it has been observed at various points along our route from 
Fort McKinney to Beaver Caiion, Idaho. At some of the points where 
seen it was quite numerous and threatened mischief, while at others 
there were but a few isolated specimens observed. 

We observed them at the following localities : Bozeman, Trail Creek, 
Gibbon River, Lower Fire-Hole Basin, Henry's Lake, and on Camas 
Creek. Their habits, of course, are already known, and need no further 



56 BULLETIN NO. 4, DIVISION OF ENTOMOLOGY. 

mention in this connection. However nmnerous tbis insect has thus far 
become in the mountain districts of Idalio, Montana, and Wyoming, I 
have failed to learn as yet of any depredations having been caused by 
it in these Territories, though I am unable to predict what they will do 
in the future, but my opinion is that they need not be feared. This, of 
course, is only an opinion based upon no facts. From observations 
made during- the period of three years in this portion of the country 
they appear to be on the increase, and at other points not seen by me 
heretofore were quite common this summer. Whether they have mi- 
grated into these new sections recently or whether they already occurred 
there during ijrevious seasons and were overlooked I am unable to say. 
None have been noticed in the act of migration thus far this season, 
though at Livingston, on the 2d of August, they were seen by far the 
most numerous, and were very restless and kept up a continual hopping 
and flitting about as if desirous of doing something besides being quiet 
and inactive. One thing we can be pretty sure of in connection with 
this insect, viz., that it will never leave the mountains and higher alti- 
tudes for the agricultural districts of Dakota and Nebraska, which lie 
to the east and southeast of here, because they are not capable of such 
long continued flights as are other species. 
C. spretus. 

Again, in the valleys of the Great Salt Lake Basin a few specimens 
of this insect were observed, which were, as a rule, confined to meadows 
and low, wet localities, away from fields of grain and garden patches, 
and I do not think they will ever become numerous enough here to do 
great damage to the products of the farm. 



"NATIVE LOCUSTS." 

There were but three or, at the most, four species of locusts which 
had attained wings to be found near Albuquerque, N. Mex., viz., two 
(Edipodw and one Psoloessa. They all frequent comparatively dry locali- 
ties where the grass is beginning to show a little green. They arf. quite 
active, are easily disturbed, and fLy rather far at each start. Among the 
young not yet matured but two spe(;ies were discerned, viz., one Q^di- 
poda and a Calopfenus or Pezotetfix. These latter were only met with in 
fields of alfalfa, along irrigating ditches, and then only occasionally. 

At Santa Fe we saw several specimens of the Psoloessa, and also two 
or three specimens of some species of Arphia. In passing along the 
road from Santa F6 to Espanola, as we approached the sandy flat, and 
also as we crossed it to the south of Santa Cruz, quite a number of a 
large, yellow-winged (Edipoda {Hippiscus haldermamiii), were seen. It 
was the same as the largest one taken at Albuquerque. 

At Espanola we observed a few of the same three species mentioned 
above as having been taken at Albuquerque. Again, at Embudo, we 



LOCUST OBSERVATIONS IN THE NORTHWEST. 57 

collected a few of these locusts, ajid, in addition, several specimens 
of the Arphia mentioned as having been seen at Santa Fe. It was 
found to be partial to the high, rocky mesas, about 1,000 feet above the 
Rio Grande. Here we also took several pupse of some Tettigidean, which 
frequents low, wet places near the river. Going into the Taos Valley 
we found about the same si)ecies heretofore mentioned, with the addi- 
tion of the larvjie of several others, but in no case could any of these 
be referred to Caloptenus spretns, although there appear to be some 
i'ei)resentatives of the genus Caloptenus found there. 

Two species of Chimarocephala were met with in the rank vegetation 
(willows and cottonwoods) at Red River, and some larvte and pupse of 
one or two species of Pezotettix were taken. These were found among 
the sedges along the river. 

At Fort Garland, Arphia and Chimarocephala are represented along 
the valley of Ute Creek in fair numbers, and as one walks along among 
the trees numerous males of these species are to be seen in the air. 

After leaving Fort Garland, I did not notice any locusts until we 
reached a point below Laveta, where the train stopped for something, 
and I heard the rattling noise made by some species of Gomphocerus, 
and after searching a while succeeded in capturing a male specimen. A 
few immature specimens of several other species were also observed, 
but not captured. Between there and here (Fort Collins) no stop was 
made, and consequently no specimens taken or no locusts of any kind 
noticed. Here, in the mouth of Poudre Canon, 12 miles to the north- 
west of Fort Collins, since the numerous heavy rains, there is a great 
variety of locusts, mostly young, of which we have taken large series. 
These are, however, all "natives." Almost all of them are such species 
as are partial to certain plants, or else to particular kinds of surface 
configuration. These peculiarities can, however, be better set forth in 
a work entirely devoted to the history of North American locusts. 

There do not appear to be any species of migratory locusts here at 
present; none have'been noticed in the air or on the ground. Speci- 
mens of Caloptenus minor, with both blue and red tibiffi, are quite com- 
mon here ; in fact this- is the only species of fledged Calopteni that 1 
have thus far observed in this porj^on of Colorado this spring, though 
the young of several species are occasionally met with. I have also 
taken a few specimens of what to me now, without comparison with 
description, appear to be the Pezotettix dodgei of Thomas. P. {Dae- 
tylotuni) pictus is just now commencing to hatch, while some of the 
Stenohothri and Q^dipodce have reached the pupa state. 

At various ])oints along the route we observed a few species of " na- 
tive locusts " in various stages of development, though none were taken 
except at a point on Laramie Plains, until we came to the Laramie 
River. These were a species of Oomphocerus that was found about 10 
miles from Tie Sidiug, and its peculiarity consisted in the close re- 



58 BULLETIN KO. 4, DIVISION OF ENTOMOLOGY. 

semblaiict' of the uoise made by the males to the rattling of a rattle- 
suake. 

At Laramie River, where some little time was occupied in collecting, 
we obtained, in addition to such forms as were taken in the vicinity of 
Fort Collins, a few specimens of a greenish-white Psoloessa that was only 
observed to feed upon the " sweet " or mountain sage. In the North Pai k 
no additional species were taken or noticed, while all forms appeared 
to be rather scarce and wild; Tlie genus Arpliia, however, seemed to 
be the best represented in forms. A few specimens of Calopitnus minor 
were noticed among the dense vegetation along boggy and damp places. 
After coming out of the park and entering the Laramie Plains on the 
west side of Laramie Kiver, a few locusts, tliough nothing new, were 
taken. On the 18th of July a few specimens of a light greenish Gom- 
phocerus were taken at Aurora, where they were found to be partial to 
the common sage-brush {Artemisia tt idenfata). Stenobofhrus occipitalis^ 
a species with light giay antennae, was also taken. 

Between Kock Creek and Fort McKinney but very few locusts of any 
kind were noticed, and none were taken. At Fort McKinney we 
captured a large number of various species of locusts, among which 
were several of interest, on account of their rarity in collections as well 
as in their peculiar habits. During the summer we observed that quite 
a number of locusts are ])artial to certain food-plants ; and, as a rule, in 
all such cases they imitate in color, to a certain degree, very closely the 
plant or i)lants uj)on which they feed. 

Pezottttix (illnis, Dodge, feeds upon a white Artemisia. Pezotettix 
horcldi, which is only to be met with in the mountains of Montana. Idaho, 
and Wyoming, ai)pears to abound only where two or three particular 
plants are met with, one of which is a species of geranium. Again, 
Caloptemis turnbullii, which is found in the vicinity of Custer's battle- 
field, oidy fee<is ui)on two species of jdants, as nearly as I could ascer- 
tain by observation, viz., the '• pig- weed" and a small greenish-white 
plant of a similar nature. Those found on the pig-weed are somewhat 
glaucous yellow, while those feeding on the other plant are more of a 
whitish color, mingled with greenish blue instead of greenish yellow. In 
like manner two species of CaloptenuH, ])erhai)s the Melanophis devastator 
and the M. cinereus of Scudder, feed upon the sage brush {Artemisia 
borealis ?, ard A. tridentata). Tlie latter is grayish in color, and when at 
rest, both in the preparatory and the imago stages, is difficult to detect, 
so nearly does its color coincide with that of the plant upon which it is 
resting. Other locusts are not partial to certain food-plants, but appear 
to be so to certain soils and surroundings. For example, all those sp«^cies 
of (Edijutdina: which would naturally fall under Mr. Scudder's genus Cir- 
cotettix, love barren and rocky slopes and hillsides, the different species 
living at difiterent altitudes and on differently colored soils. The spe- 
cies all love bright and warm sunshine, and during such times are very 
active and remarkably noisj', being almost incessantly in the air, where 



LOCUST OBSERVATIONS IN THE NORTHWEST. 59 

tliey keep tlieir wiii^s clattering and rattling to such an extent that one 
would sujjpose they were rattling into pieces. We did some collecting 
at Custer's battle-field, where we took a large variety of species, as well 
as in most cases a large series of specimens. Here we also observed 
to a great extent the partiality which certain species exhibited in 
the selection of special food-plants. Again, at Junction City, Mont., 
wo made some collections, adding a few to the list of species taken. 
Here, for the first time, we took several specimens of a species of 
(Edipodince belonging in the genus Meatobregma. and which almost 
exactly imitates in color a species of Psoloessa which we took on the Lar- 
amie River, south of Laramie City. While these two insects so closely 
resemble each other in color they are quite distinct, and as Scudder has 
subdivided the genus (Edipoda they fall into distinct genera. The two 
species in question, however, are both partial to the same food-plant, 
viz., the white or sweet sage, and thus far I have found neither away 
from where this plant abounds. 

We again collected at a point on the Yellowstone River about mid- 
way from Trail Creek to the JSiational Park, at the Mammoth Hot 
Springs, and at Henry's Lake. It was at the former of these localities 
that we found the Mestohregma most abundant. 

While passing along the road near Gardiner, a new town, which is 
to be the terminus of the Park branch of the Northeru Pacific Railway, 
we captured a few specimens of the same species of light-blue- winged 
Trimerotropis that I took last year at Fort Benton, thereby extending its 
range at least to the southern border of Montana. It appeared to be 
quite rare even in its special haunts, viz., a light, almost bare, whitish, 
alkaline soil destitute of rocks. It was also taken in the Lemhi Valley 
of Idaho. At this same locality several other species of closely allied 
locusts were taken. After crossing the main Rocky range to the west 
side a change in the comparative abundance of some species and in 
the total absence or replacement of other species was observed. 

While on tlie eastern slope we found (Jircotettix carlingianns quite 
abundant and C. undulatus rather rare, on the western side of the divide 
we found just the reverse. 

The large, red-winged Hqypiscus which on the east side is everywhere 
so abundant, and in fact all the red-winged forms, have thus far been 
exceedingly rare, only four specimens having been seen during the five 
days that have passed since crossing the summit. A specifS which, on 
the eastern side, was met with but occasionally has become quire plenti- 
ful. It is perhaps what Mr. Scudder has called Fsinidia icallula. 

Thus far we have found locusts to be most numerous in species at an 
elevation varying from 2,500 to G,000 feet above sea-level, and on the 
bench-lands in preference to either bottom or mountain lands. While 
most of the Caloptenus and Pezotettix were partial to moist localities 
where vegetation was rankest, the (Edipodinm and Stenobothrini, &c., 



■60 BULLETIN NO. 4, DIVISION OF ENTOMOLOGY. 

were iDO.st common on partially bare and (li;yer j^routuls where the vege- 
tation is less rank. Color of wings and tibiie (loes not necessarily indi- 
cate specific difterences. 

DESCRIPTION OF SUIIFACJK. 

The Taos Valley extends from the Arroyo Hondo, or deep ravine, of 
the liio II(nido, or deej) river, on the north, and from the canon of the 
Kio (irande on the wcist to the foot of the Taos range of mountains on 
the east. It sloj)t's to the southwest from the mouth of the Kio Hondo 
cafion, whidi has an elevation of 7,800 feet, to the edge of the Kio 
Grande canon, whi<;h is about 0,400. The greater portion of the coun- 
try is of a drift deposit, and consequeutly is mixed with bowlders and 
fragments of rock from the bordering mountains. It also is very rich 
when irrigate<l, which (;an be done over almost every portion by some 
one of the various beautiful mountain torrents that traverse the valley 
towards the Kio (irande. At present all or nearly all the farming is 
confined to the upi)er portion of the valley bordering the mountains, 
but I am satisfied that the lower portions, which are at present occupied 
by sage-brush, will be equally productive with the aid of water. 

The surrounding mountains are rich in minerals, and only await the 
approach of railroad communication to be developed. With this, farm- 
ing will also necessarily increase and the r-egion become one of the rich- 
est in this section of New Mexico. Stock-raising is confined chiefly to 
goats, a few sheei), burros, hogs (which are picketed out), and a few 
cows. An abundance of chickens, too, is also raised in some parts of 
the valley. (Eggs and wood always one price, the former 25 cents for 
10, and the latter sa,mei)er load.) In i)a,ssing north from Taos we enter 
the valley of the Ilio ITondo. This latter is a stream of almost double 
the size of any of those passing throitgh the Taos Valley, but differs 
from them by running in the center of a <leep, narrow, canon like valley ; 
most of this, however, is farmed, as is the high mesa on the south side 
of the valley, which latter slopes toward the Taos Valley. The upper 
end of this mesa, at the base of the mountains, is about 8,000 feet above 
sea-level, and descends toward the Kio (irande at the rate of about 100 
feet to the mile. After leaving the Kio Hondo a low si)ur of the mount- 
ains, or higli, irregular mesa, partly of volcanic rocks and covered with 
l)inon i>iiu's and cedars, is ci'ossed. This, at the highest i)oint, reaches an 
elevation of 8,215 feet at a distance of between 2 and 3 miles from the 
mountains, which at the general slope of the country would be about 
8,500 at the base of them. From this point the <lescent toward the Ked 
Kiver is (piite rapid, this latter bcung about 7,400 feet where it leaves 
the mountains, and about 100 less where it enters the canon at the foot 
of the valley, and i)reparatory to entering the Kio Grande. This valley, 
like that of tlu^ Kio Hondo, is comparatively narrow, and pretty well 
occupied by farms. 

On the north edge of this valley begins what is known as San Luis 



OBSERVATIONS IN THE NORTHWKST. 61 

Valley, a ])lateau-like area of land about 140 miles in length and vary- 
ing from 20 to 30 miles in width, or perhaps a little more, if we include 
that lying to the west of the Rio Grande. The general elevation of 
this valley along its eastern border is about S,()00 feet, sloping gradu- 
ally toward the llio Grande on the west. It is bounded all along the 
east by high, snow-covered mountains, and on the west by a series of 
volcanic cones and basaltic ridges. Some of these also, at isolated 
points, are to bo seen i)rotruding from the valley itself. All the way 
from Albuquerque, N. Mex., to this point (Fort Garland) the Kio Grande 
appears to be the dividing line between the basaltic and the other rocks, 
the basalt only api)earing at isolated jjoints near the river on the CAist 
side. The general surface of this entire valley is somewhat sandy, and 
the soil is interspersed with bowlders and pebbles from the mountains. 
It is covered with sage-brush, intersi)ersed with short grasses, chietly 
Bouteloua. At various points small streams cross it, and it is along 
these that all the efforts at farming have been made. 

North of Alamosa and west of the Sierra' Sangre de Christo range 
the valley api)ears to be richer in natural grasses, and is dotted here 
and there by small, shallow lakes. Immediately to the north of Fort 
Garland are situated Sierra Blanca and Mount Baldy, two of the 
highest i)eaks in Oolora<lo, and at their base runs Ute Creek, the valley 
of which contains some tine grazing lands and a few good ranches, where 
at times the locusts have bred in great numbers. 

After leaving Fort Garland we followed up tlie valley of Trinchara 
Creek to Veta Pass, where we crossed over the range into the valley of 
the Apaches and Santa Clara — a magnificent farming and grazing sec- 
tion. 

At La Veta the elevation is between 6,000 and 7,000 feet, but descends 
quite rapidly towards the Arkansas, where the country expands into a 
wide, somewiiat rolling country, dotted here and there with rocky ridges 
and coal fields. This country lies north of the Spanish Peaks and south 
and east of the Rainy range of mountains. This entire area, with the 
exception of a few snndl patches, is quite suitable for the propagation 
of locust swarms, and at times undoubtedly has been the seat of great 
swarms, although I failed to obtain any data concerning this insect for 
this particular locality. At the time of passing through here (June 10) 
the vegetation was quite green and the country looked well, although 
around Ojo, in the head of the valley, the oaks had not yet leafed out. 
On the summit in Veta Pass, where the elevation is about 10,400 feet, 
there was about inches of snow. 

Of course these extensive plains, that are so admirably fitted for the 
development of large locust swarms, sometimes have their drawbacks 
in the shape of seasons of great drought, as well as cold, wet, and back- 
ward springs following open winters, and in such cases the locusts suffer 
decrease here as elsewhere. From here we passed through such country 
as has already been often described — that lying between Pueblo and Den- 



62 BULLETIN NO. 4, DIVISION OF ENTOMOLOGY. 

ver and between Denver and Fort Collins. At this latter place there is, 
as at Golden, a series of low mountains lying in front of the main range 
and separating the open country from a series of fertile valleys and ])ark- 
like areas that lie back among the foot-hills and low mountains. These 
valleys and ])ark like oi)eniugs among the foot-hills and low mountains 
are richly clothed with nutritious grasses, and are mostly well watered, 
thereby affording good footing for the breeding of locusts during years of 
their presence in this section of the country, and being every year the 
home of scores of species of " natives." It is in such localities as these 
that the greatest variety of locusts of all sorts is to be found in Colorado. 
What is known as the Livenuore country, on the Xorth Fork of the 
Cache la Poudre, is a widening out of the valleys and park-like tracts 
into quite a large area of good farming laud and a better grazing re- 
gjon. This Livermore country continues to stretchout to the west ami 
northwest until it is lost among the park-like openings on the sum nit 
of the Laramie Range, south of Sherman ; and from here is joined f) the 
Laramie Plains on the west slope by valleys sloping that way.- The 
Laramie Plains require no description here, while the numerous small 
parks lying to the south of the Lara;uie River, and between it and 
North Park, can be described as being merely openings in the tim!>er, 
varying from 7,500 to 8,500 feet above the sea, and they at times form 
splendid retreats to the locusts and excellent grazing areas at all ti'nes 
to cattle and the large herds of game that frequent these parts of 
Colorado. During the summer and fall of 18SI), a greater portiou of 
this country, lying between the Laramie River and the North Park, was 
overrun by fires, during the progress of which, without any doubt, great 
numbers of both migratory and native locusts must have perished froiu 
heat and smoke. North Park is a vast grassy tract surrounded on all 
sides by high ranges of mountains, ami shows [)lainly by its leading 
features that it was at one time the bed of a vast lake. Its lower end 
is about 7,000 feet in altitude, while all the otlier portions are higher. 
It is well watered and grassed, thus rendering it one of the most relia- 
ble grazing regions in northern Colorado. While its altitude is too 
great for safe adventure in general farming, it will nevertheless produce 
excellent crops of vegetables and small grain. Its entire surface could 
be burned over with some result in locust years. 

/ 



PRELITVIINARY REPORT OF OBSERVATIONS UPON INSECTS INJU- 
RIOUS TO COTTON, ORANGE, AND SUGAR CANE IN BRAZIL.* 

By John C. Bkaxner. 

Sir: On the 20th of l^ovember, 1882, I was, upon your recommenda- 
tion, and under your direction, coinmis<sioned by tlie Commissioner of 
A<j:iicnlture to visit Brazil for the i)nr|>ose of investig'ating tbe subject 
of insects injurious to cotton, cane, and oranj^es ; and to collect such 
other information as would be useful to you in your capacity of United 
States Entomologist. 

On the 30th of the same month I left Washington, D. C, accompanied 
by one assistant, Mr, Albert Koebele, and left Newport News, Va., on 
the 2d of December, on board the British steamer Borghese. Landing 
at St. Thomas, in the West Indies, on the 9th of December, we took 
advantage of the few hours' delay of the stea:nerin that port to exam- 
ine what cotton and other industrial i)lants we could find for injurious 
insects. We collected some scale insects on the " sapadilla" tree and 
sent them to the Department. We found no injurious insects on the 
few cotton plants examined. 

We left St. Thomas on the same day and reached Para on the 18th 
of December. Here we improved the oppDitiinity to examine orange 
trees for scale insects, and in the few hours we were able to spend on 
shore we made a small collec^tiou of insects from these trees. Fortu- 
nately we were able to visit the Natural History Museum of this prov- 
ince, which we did in hope of finding something interesting in the way 
of insects injurious to v^egetation, especially of those attacking cotton, 
cane, and orange plants. No such insects, however, were found in the 
collection. 

1 made inquiries of the offiiiers of the Brazilian navy station at the 
marine arsenal at Para concerning the winds prevailing along the north- 
ern coast of Brazil, and along the Amazon Valley. I made similar in- 
quiries of the commanders of the steamers plying on the Amazon and 



* riie principal objects of Mr. Braiiner's trip to Brazil, as iletaileil in bis letter of instructions, were 
as foUiiws: 

1. The gathering of historical information upon tbe ciiltuie of cotton iu Brazil, including tbe deter- 
miuatiou of the species of insects known to alfeot t Ue crop there, and the collecting of facts relating to 
their habits. 

2. T<» asi-ertain whether or not Aletia xylina is found in tbe vicinity of Babia, and to collect specimens 
n all stages of this and allied insects. 

3. To olitain as complete memoranda as possible of the prevailing course of winds at different seasons 
of the sear. 

4. To obtain specimens and information relative to the insect enemies of the orange and the cultiva- 
tion of tbe crop. 

5. To obtain specimens in all stages <>f the destructive locusts of Brazil, together with publications 
on the subject. 

63 



64 BULLETIN NO. 4, DIVISION OF ENTOMOLOGY. 

its tributaries, and especially ol" tliose who have run on the river for a 
number of years. 

We left Pari^ December 19, and on the 22(1 arrived at Maranhao. At 
this ])lace the delay of the steamer was too short to allow of any inves- 
tigations, however short, in tlie field. I had time though, to call upon his 
Excellency, the President of the Province of Maranhao, and to solicit his 
support in carrying on the investigations intrusted to me. He cheer- 
fully promised to aid me in every way in his power, and furnished me 
with the names of such planters in the interior as would be able to 
ansvver any inquiries in regard to the diseases common to cotton and 
cane, and the methods of cultivation employed in this country. I am 
indebted also to Snr. Themistocles Aranha, the editor of the Paiz, the 
leading newspaper of the Province of Maranhao, for valuable historical 
information upon the subject of cotton culture in this part of Brazil. 

On the 27th of December we landed at Pernambuco. My original 
instructions had been to proceed to Bahia to carry on my investigations^ 
but sufficient liberty of action was allowed me to enable me to stop at 
some other point, should I find it better adapted to the purposes of my 
work. 

Taking into consideration the importance ot the i)rovince of Pernam- 
buco as a cotton-growing district, as compared with the province of 
Bahia, the nearness of the cotton district to the coast, and its conse- 
quent accessibility, its geographical position in relation to the southern 
United States, audits proximity to the Bahia district, I concluded that 
it would be best for us to go into the interior from this place. 

Before leaving Washington, we had, at your request, been furnished 
letters from his Excellency the Brazilian Minister at Washington, Snr. 
Lopes Netto, to various officials in Brazil. One of these letters was 
directed to the President of the Province of Pernambuco. On the day 
following our landing, I called upon his Excellency the President. He 
gave me a set of the reports of the Presidents for several years i)revious, 
from which I could collect information concerning the production of 
cotton and cane, and directed that letters should be given us to the 
local authorities in the places we might visit in the cotton-growing dis- 
trict. I called also upon Dr. Portella, for many years the president 
of the Pernambuco Society of Agriculture, to obtain information in 
regard to the localities most favorable for our work, and to learn also 
what had been done by the Society or by the Government in the way of 
investigating insects and diseases common to cane and to cotton in this 
province. He gave me some publications made by the Society, and 
presented me to other gentlemen who gave me valuable information in 
regard to insect i^ests, cotton . ilture, «&c. 

The cotton region, through this part of Brazil, lies just inland from 
the cane-growing lands, which form a belt along the coast from 35 to 50 
miles wide. Toward the south of the ijrovince Garanhuns is the center 
of the cotton-producing area. Further inland the production is smaller, 



INSECT ENEMIES OF COTTON IN BRAZIL. 65 

owing to the increased cost of transportation, while along the coast 
cane is supposed to be more profitable and better adapted to the climate 
and soil. Distance inland, however, is not an insurmountable obstacle 
in the way of cottou culture here, for some of the places most noted 
for the amount and qutility of cotton sent into the market are situated 
on the northern confines of the province, or even in the province of 
Paraliyba, or in Ceara. It is no uncommon thing for cotton to be car- 
ried 400 miles on horseback. In the northern part of the province 
some of the principal cotton-yielding regions are about Brejo, and in 
the province of Parahyba about Campina Grande and Indepeudeucia, 
while to the westward Itianco, in Parahyba, is a good cotton-growing 
district, as well as Pesqueira, Alagoa de Baixo, and Ingazeira in Per- 
nambuco. 

Although I conversed with manj' intelligent persons in the city of 
Pernambuco, several of them members of the Agricultural Society, upon 
the subject, I was unable to find out certainly whether such a thing was 
known as a caterpillar that devoured the leaves of the cotton plant. 
Dr. Portella informed me that many years ago — perhaps forty — some 
kind of a plague attacked the cotton so seriously that its cultivation 
was very largely abandoned by the planters. He knew nothing, how- 
ever, of the nature of this plague. The only evidence I could find of 
the existence of such caterpillars in this part of the country was a verse 
of a popular song, formerly sung by the poorer classes hereabout. My 
attention was called to it by Snr. Jose de Vasconcellos, the editor of 
the Jornal do Becife. Aside from this, the only insect I could learn of 
as being injurious to cotton in any way was the locust, which, as I was 
told, sometimes ate the leaves. 

After consulting with those most capable of advising me in such a 
matter, I decided that Bonito, in the province of Pernambuco, would 
be the best place for our work. The President of the Province and Dr. 
Portella furnished us with all necessary letters of introduction to the 
local authorities, and to such persons as would be able to aid us in the 
vicinity of Bonito, and on the 4th day of January, 1883, we left Per- 
nambuco for that place. We took the Sao Francisco railway as far as 
Palmares, aud there hired horses to carry us and our baggage to Bo- 
nito, about a day's ride to the north. 

Kemaining over night at Palmares, I met and conversed with some 
of the engineers in charge of the extension of the Sao Francisco rail- 
way. '" 

In making inquiries in regard to the prevailing winds, I learned that 
a series of meteorological observation^ had been made by the engineer 
corps at this place, extending over a period of six years. I availed 
myself of the opportunity to copy the record, and consider mytielf for- 
tunate in having this, the only carefully made series of observations 
that 1 am aware have been made so far from the coast iu this part of 
Brazil. They cover the six years from 1877 to 1382, inclusive. 
8093— Bui. 4 5 



66 ^WLLETIN NO. U DIVISION OF ENTOMOLOGY. 

On tlie <lay following our arrival at Palmares we took horses for 
Eonito, and arrived at our destination in the evening of the same day. 

The village of Bonito is a small one, on the southeastern border of 
the cotton-growing district. There being no hotel in the place, and it 
being impossible to arrange any other way to live and carry on our 
work, it was necessary to hire a house for these purposes. With con- 
siderable difficulty one was obtained, and preparation made for a short 
stay in the place. 

Arriving at Bonito on the 6th of January, it was my expectation that 
we would be able to leave for the provinces further south, in which 
nnicli cotton is grown, within a couple of weeks at the most. It was 
found later, however, that in order to carry out our investigations sat- 
isfactorily it would be necessary to remain at Bonito much longer than 
I originally proposed. The fact that we had arrived so early in the 
season, as far as insects were concerned, also made it necessary to re- 
main here longer than would have been necessary had we come later, 
say in April or May, when insects are more active. 

Once in the cotton-producing country, there was no difficulty in learn- 
ing of the existence of caterpillars that destroy the plants. On the 
day following our arrival we visited some fields of cotton near Bonito, 
but, though we found various interesting insects injuring the plants, we 
were not able to tind any indication of the existence of caterpillars. The 
people assured me that it was too early in the season, and that the 
weather was not of the kind favorable to these insects. The next day, 
however, Mr. Koebele found both larva' and eggs, and, although they 
never appeared in large numbers during our stay at Bonito, from that 
time forth we found a few every day. In order to obtain as good a col- 
lection as possible of these insects in every stage of development, and 
of their j)arasites, we arranged to breed all we could find until our col- 
lections and observations were complete. At the same time especial 
efforts were made to find and raise caterpillars that feed upon other 
species of malvaceous plants. We had about a hundred breeding cases 
in our house for the different kinds of insects, parasites, &c. 

We made observations on and collections of insects injurious to other 
industrial plants, such as oranges, coffee, corn, beans, tobacco, &c.,and 
also of useful insects, such as bees. 

Sugar cane is not grown at Bonito in sufficient quahtity to allow of 
our doing much in regard to the sugar-cane disease, or insects affecting 
it. At the city of Pernambuco I learned that the Imperial Government 
had appointed a committee to investigate the causes and report upon 
remedies for the cane disease that has been doing great damage in this 
country for several years, but 1 was unable to find that anything had 
been made public in regard to what the committee had accomplished. 
The Pernambuco Agricultural Society had sent specimens of diseased 
cane to Germany for examination, and a short report from the gentle- 
man to whom they were sent was given me. This report says that a 



COTTON CULTURE IN THE PROVINCE OF BAHIA. 67 

species of fungns was foiiiul in the specimen sent for examination, bnt 
that it is impossible to say whether the disease is caused by the fungus. 

We made observations on and inquiries in regard to the direction of 
winds, the ravages of locusts, and insects injurious and beneficial to ag- 
riculture. Mr. Koebele captured a large number of moths at night upon 
the flowers of a species of Gleome that grew abundantly about our house. 
Among' the noctuids were a very few cotton moths. The collection we 
made of these insects was obtained almost entirely by breeding them 
from the larvte. The moths first bred from larvoe feeding on cotton 
were unlike those so injurious to the cotton plant in the United States, 
but later we found another kind, though not in such numbers, which is 
identical with that of the Southern States. The planters informed me 
that it was the latter and somewhat larger of these two larviB that does 
the greatest damage to cotton in Brazil. Up to the time of our depart- 
ure from Bonito there were but few of these caterpillars to be found. 

Having completed the work at Bonito as nearly as possible in the 
time at our disposal, we left that place on the 7th of February for Per- 
nambuco, on our way to Bahia, taking with us a collection of insects,, 
which we estimated at about 10,000 specimens. 

Between the time of our arrival in the city of Pernambuco and our de- 
parture, our time was occupied in arranging our collection for shii^ment 
to Washington, and in making preparation for further field work in the 
province of Bahia. 

We arrived at the city of Bahia March 11. As was to be expected ^ 
we learned that the cotton-growing part of the province of Bahia was. 
far inland, and that though this port formerly exported large quanti- 
ties of cotton, there is no export at present, and even the few cotton 
factories in the province are obliged to import their raw material from 
Pernambuco, Alagoas and Sergipe. 

The Baron of Guahy, President of the Commercial Association, kindly 
furnished me with the official statistics of the exports of cotton from 
Bahia since 1862. These statistics show that the exports of cotton from 
Bahia fell from 7,000,000 kilograms in 1868 to nothing in 1880. 

In the commercial reports of one of the leading daily papers of Bahia 
I noticed the following in regard to cotton, the paper bearing the date of 
March 14, 1883 : 

Imports : Cotton, 863 bales from Alagoas an<l Pernambucc, principally ou account 
of diflferent cotton factories. 

Under the head of exports it is remarked : 

Cotton : No exports from tills province. 

Taking such facts into account, the great distance from Bahia to that 
part of the province in which a little cotton is grown for domestic pur- 
poses, thedearness of transportation to such places, and the shortness 
of the time at our disposal, I thought it best to abandon all thoughts 
of a trip into the interior. My decision was also strengthened by the 



68 BULLETIN NO. 4, DIVISION OF ENTOMOLOGY. 

fact that I found that Dr. Antonio de Lacerda, a Brazilian gentleman 
living at Bahia, and one already well known for his intelligent interest in, 
and contributions to, entomology, informed me that he had bred a moth 
from a larva found by himself upon cotton in the suburbs of Bahia. 
Dr. Lacerda gave me this specimen. It is the same as the larger cotton 
moth found by us at Bonito, and the same as the one common in the 
United States. 

I hoped, however, that we might be able to find the other moth in the 
immediate vicinity of the city. With this object in view, we examined 
all the cotton plants we could find growing about the houses in the sub- 
urbs, and were fortunate enough to obtain a number, both of larvf© and 
of eggs, which being bred, gave us both species of moth found at 
Bonito. We considered this sufficient evidence of the existence of 
both species of cotton moth at Bahia, and made arrangements to stop 
field-work and leave Bahia at once. 

In order to obtain all available publications upon entomology, histori- 
cal facts and statistics of production and exportation from the whole 
empire, and also to obtain the indorsement of his Excellency the Min- 
ister of Agriculture for the circular I proposed sending out asking for 
information, I found it necessary to continue my voyage to the capital, 
at Rio de Janeiro. Arriving in that city on the 29th of March, I pre- 
pared at once a circular containing fifty-two questions asking informa- 
tion in regard to the history of cotton culture in the country, the kinds 
planted, the methods of working and harvesting, the climate and soil 
found most favorable to it, the diseases and insects that attack it, and 
the remedies used for such evils; and also concerning oranges, varieties, 
methods of propagation and cultivation, and the insects and plants in- 
jurious to the trees. -This circular included inquiries concerning the 
destructive locusts and concerning the direction of the winds. It was 
submitted to the Minister of Agriculture for his approval, and he cheer- 
fully indorsed it, and urged those who might receive it to give it their 
careful attention. Five hundred copies of this circular were printed and 
sent out through the empire, more especially through those parts of the 
country where cotton is or has been grown most extensively. The 
presidents of the provinces of Pernambuco and Maranhao aided me in 
directing these circulars to planters and other persons who were able to 
give me intelligent and trustNvorthy answers. 

During my stay in Rio de Janeiro I got together all the information 
and special reports to be had in the Portuguese language u])on ento- 
mology. These consisted of a few valuable articles by Fritz Miiller, i)ub- 
lisluKl in the Archivos of the National Museum, and a few miscellaneous 
contributions to be found scattered through old periodicals in the National 
Library. These latter articles, however, are rather curious than valuable, 
and could only be had by copyingfrom the books. Through the kindness 
of Mr. W. T. Gepp I obtained access to the reports and statistics of Brazil- 
ian commerce kept by the Commercial Association in Rio de Janeiro, and 



COTTON CULTURE DIRECTION OF WINDS. 69 

was thus enabled to make as complete a table of the exports of cotton 
from the whole empire as it is possible to obtain. I have arranged these 
tables so as to show the exports both by years and by provinces, and have 
reduced the weights, whicli were originally given in arrobas and kilo- 
grams, to pounds. Anythiug like a complete report of exports can only 
be had as far back as 1851-52. From other sources I found that cot- 
ton had been exported from Brazil as early as 17G0, when 20,833 pounds 
were shipi)ed from Maranhfio. From 1851-52 to 1875-'7G the total ex- 
ports from all the provinces reached 1,532,272,075 pounds. 

I gathered some trustAvorthj' information in regard to the ravages of 
the cotton insects in the province of Sao Paulo, which is the most 
southerly province in which cotton has been grown successfully, and 
with it an idea of the percentage of loss caused by these insects in that 
part of the country. 

From the works of M. Mouchez, formerly a lieutenant in the Brazilian 
navy, and a good authority on the subject, I have obtained a series of 
charts showing the direction of winds along the northern coast of Brazil 
for each month in the year. From Maury's data, as furnished me by 
the United States Hydrographic Office, I have also constructed charts 
for each month of the year, showing the same thing. 

In addition to the reports on winds, alread}^ mentioned as having 
been obtained at Palmares, in the province of Pernambuco, I received 
from Dr. Draennert, the director of the Imperial Agricultural School 
at Bahia, a report on the direction of winds at that place, the observa- 
tions having been made by him, and covering a period of six years. 
This report includes information in regard to the force of the winds. 

Having obtained, all the historical and statistical information to be 
had in Rio de Janeiro upon the subjects which I was directed by you to 
investigate, and having sent out the circular questions asking for fur- 
ther information on these subjects, I embarked at Eio de Janeiro for 
New York on the 18th of April, and reached Washington on the 16th 
of May of the present year. 

I have already received a number of valuable replies to the circular 
and shall doubtless receive others before the report upon my work will 
have been finished. 

I have the honor to be, sir, your obedient servant, 

JOHN C. BRANNER, 

Special Agent. 

Prof. C. Y. Riley, 

U. S. Entomoloyht. 



REPORT ON THE EFFECTS OF COLD UPON THE SCALE INSECTS OF 
THE ORANGE IN FLORIDA. 

By Joseph A^oyle. 
'I 
Gainesville, Fla., Becemher 10, 1883. 

Sir: 1 liave the honor to present the following report of experiments 
made with cold temperatures on scale insects injurious to orange trees. 
These experiments were made for the purpose of obtaining some infor- 
mation as to the extent of relief given by frost to infested trees, there 
being a very general belief that any damages to the tree by frost are 
fully compensated for by the destruction of injurious insects. Several 
successive winters with cold of such severity as to, in some cases, seri- 
ously damage orange trees, having been followed by heavy swarms of 
destructive scale insects, gave reason for doubting the truth of the 
accepted theory. During the past winter, 1882-'83, by some special 
observations, positive evidence was obtained that often very little dam- 
age was done to scale insects by cold that killed the tender orange 
shoots. On the morning of December 16, 1882, the thermometer was 
reported at various figures, from 19^ to 2b° F. My own lowest read- 
ing was 25°. On this morning I cut orange branches incrusted with 
scale insects and found young migratory larvte of Mytilospis running 
about quite lively. 

By your direction 1 entered upon a series of experiments that should 
as nearly as practicable solve the question of " What temperature is fatal 
to the larvte and to the eggs of these scale insects?" The laboratory 
of the East Florida Seminary, with its apparatus, was placed at mj- 
service for this work, but fire destroyed the building and contents be- 
fore the work was begun. It was therefore necessary to devise some 
inexpensive means of accomx)lishing the work. The final result of ex- 
periments for this purpose was a freezer composed of three tin cylinders 
of 10 inches, G inches, and 2 inches diameter, respectively. The inch 
was placed within the lOinch, and by means of a collar both were 
fastened together and the space between them filled with dry feathers; 
another collar then fitted on, and all soldered tight. A suitable collar 
being fitted to both ends of the 2-incli cylinder (which was only 10 
inches in length, the others being 14), it was placed within the 6-inch, 
equidistant from the ends, and soldered tight, thus leaving room for a 
head 2 inches thick and 6 inches diameter at eack end, the heads being 
I)acked with dry feathers. Thus was obtained a central chamber within 
an empty annular chamber, surrounded by another annular chamber 
filled with a good nonconductor; the central chamber for the speci- 

70 ■ 



EFFECTS OF LOW TEMPERATURE ON COCCID EGGS. 71 

mens and tlierniometer, the empty annular chamber for the freezing- 
mixture, filled through a short If -inch tube. 

Method of using: The specimens and registering maximum and min- 
imum thermometer were placed in the central chamber, the freezing 
mixture placed in the empty chamber, and the temperature allowed to 
gradnallj' sink to the desired point, the indices of the thermometer then 
set to the mercury, and all closed by the heads for the desired time. 
On opening, the thermometer readings were at once taken and the tem- 
perature allowed to rise gradually to that of the atmosphere. The 
freezing mixture found to be most satisfactory was ice and salt, varied 
in proportion as required in each case. As will be seen by the table, 
the larvje were killed at a temperature above 32° F., and eggs hatched 
after being subjected to 25° F. 

In experiments where, as in these, there is no previous experience to 
guide the examiner, it is necessary to make various experiments for in- 
struction as to the value of appearances. Sometimes larviie retain for 
several days an apparently natural appearance, leaving it doubtful 
whether their final death is the result of the temijerature or want of food. 
If a small beam of the sun's rays be brought to a focus on the stage of 
the microscope, the larvae placed on a slide, the living larva on being 
brought into the focus of the rays always moves quickly, draws up its 
sucking tubes, and otherwise shows signs of life, the dead larva show- 
ing no motion under the same influence. 

The motion of the one is not attributable to heat on iuprt matter, but 
to sensibility indicating life, and affords a method of examination be- 
fore the question of starvation can arise. At moderate temperatures, 
30°-32o F., some eggs turn brown and collapse, whilst others, even in 
the same scale, retain their form and color. This was for a long time 
unaccountable : at length the brown was found to characterize eggs 
very near hatching. In experiment No. 10, where some eggs hatched 
after a temperature of 25° F.,out of a large number only three hatched, 
and of these three only one had strength sufficient to slowly leave the 
position of the eggs ; the others showed life by motion of their legs and 
antennte. As a temperature of 19° F. was reported here last winter 
without clearing off the coccids, a lower temperature was supposed to 
be necessary, and the first experiments were at 16° F. ; then, as results 
were ascertained, higher and higher until at 24° F. it appeared that the 
limi t was reached. The eggs of Parlatoria pergandii and Mytilasiris ciiri- 
cola appeared to require a lower temperature for destruction of their 
vitality than the eggs of M. gloverii. Special experiments for this purpose 
showed that there was only a delay of the changes of appearance, no 
eggs hatching after a temperature of 24° F. To be practically service- 
able, artificial conditions in experiments must approach some form of 
the natural condition of which information is required. In these experi- 
ments the nearest i^ractical approach to nature was taking the insects 
at the greatest exposure in a still atmosphere. If, then, the temperature 



72 



BULLETIN NO. 4, DIVISION OF ENTOMOLOGY. 



rei)orted,19o F., be correct, scale insects with only moderate protection 
should have been killed, and all their eggs with them; but such was 
not the case. Both thermometers and readings are often questionable. 
Unreliability of graduation of common instruments, particularly below 
the temperate figures, and readings made by parties unaccustomed to 
accuracy, may be taken as a reasonable explanation of wide discrepan- 
cies. 

There are conditions practically unattainable artificially, where the 
coccids are protected from the effects of such temperature as under 
favorable conditions would be fatal to them. The leaves of the tree, 
the warm current rising from the ground around the trunk of the tree, 
and the initial heat of the tree itself perform an important part in mod- 
ifying temperature for these insects. In a still atmosphere this might be- 
come a perfect protection against a temperature much lower than would 
Ijrove fatal in other conditions. Again, a cold, moist breeze folIovA'ing a 
rain might lower this protection to a fatal point. Casual observation 
warrants the supposition that these conditions do occur with the results 
as supposed. Valuable information could be obtained by using regis- 
tering thermometers within the protection of the head of the tree, and, 
on the outer branches ; a comparison of records would indicate the 
amount of protection, and give data for ascertaining ai)proximately the 
amount of cold required to reduce the temperature all oyer a tree to a 
point absolutely fatal to coccids : probably a temx)erature fatal to the 
tree also. < 

The table has been arranged from the notes so as to present results 
without unnecessary details. The experiments were repeated for veri- 
fication, and also whenever any results were doubtful. 

The table may be regarded as an accurate exponent of the effect of 
low temperature on orange cocci<ls. 



Tithlc sltoiri)!;/ results obl<iiii((l J)ij e.iposiinj oraiitjr scale iiisevis to rarioiis degrees of cold. 



No. of 
cxperinient. 



1 

2 
3 
4 
.5 
(i 
7 
8 
9 
10 



Minimnm | Maxiiunm 
tenipeia- [ teiupeia- 



Tinip of 


Kesiiltto 


Result 


exposure. 


larvit. 


to eggs. 


Hours. 




! 





Dead . . . 


Dead . .. 


10 

10 

5 




. . do 


. . do 


. . do 


..do 


..do 


3 
1 
1 

in 
5 


..do 


..do 


do .. . 


.do 


. do . . . 


..do 


do 


..do 


..do 


. do 1 


16 


..do 


Hatch . . 

1 
i 



Time from 

exposure 

to final 

result in 

eggs. 



Days. 
:h 
12 
4 
7 
12 
14 
14 
20 
12 



Keinaiks, 



3 eggs only out of a 
large number. 



LOW TEMPERATURES VS. SCALE INSECTS. 



73 



HexuUs obtained by exposing orange scale insects, ^c. — Continued. 



No. of 
experiment. 



11 
12 
13 
14 
15 
16 
17 
18 
19 
20 
21 
22 



Minimum 


Masiniuni 


tempera- 


tempera- 1 


ture. 


ture. 


29 


29 


29 


32 


29 


34 i 


30 


32 


30 


32 


32 


32 


32 


32 


32 


34 


34 


34 


34 


34 


34 


34 


36 • 


36 



Time of 
exposure. 



! Result to ! 
I larvffi. 



Hours. 
1 

li 
2 
16 

10 
12 
o 

u- 

11 

s 



Dead 
L.rto.. 
I.. do. 
!..do.. 

..do.. 
i..do.. 
L.do.. 

..do.. 

..do.. 

..do.. 

..do.. 

..do.. 



Result 
to e££s. 



Hatch 
.do... 
..do... 
..do... 
..do... 
..do... 
..do... 
..do... 
..do... 
..do... 
..do... 
..do... 



Time from 
exposure 

to liuai 
collapse of 

larvffi. 



Days. 
5 
5 
6 
5 
10 
10 
5 
6 
3 

6 

8 



Eemark.s. 



. December 26, 1883. 

During my recent absence from borne there was a short period of cokl 
weather, which on my return I found had produced naturally nearly all 
of the conditions that in my experiments were produced artificially. 

Although I was only 10 miles directly south of here, at the place where 
I was the effects were very slight, and near by there were no traces of 
frost, tomatoes and bell peppers out of doors being unhurt. 

Had I known in time the extent of the damage elsewhere I could have 
made some valuable observations. 

The thermometer is reported at various figures, ranging from 21° F. 
to 30° F. The effects show as wide a difference. 

In the same neighborhood I find young orange trees killed to the col- 
lar at the ground, and orange and lemon trees that are unhurt, and 
these are sometimes within a few yards of each other. 

Six days after the frost, examination showed that the defoliated 
branches infested by insects were dead, whilst others not so exposed 
were living, and that where the small twigs were not killed there were 
some living eggs. 

I also find the same appearances as in the experiments, eggs dead and 
living in the same scale. 

The stated probable effects of the initial heat of the tree, &g., are re- 
alized and ver3' distinctly marked. I inclose a twig showing this. The 
outer portion is dead, and the eggs are also dead. The basal portion cut 
from near the body of the tree is living, and there are also thereat this 
writing some eggs that are clear and pink. 

This cold term was calm, tha greatest cold of short duration, not more 
than an hour. The conditions were as nearly a reproduction of those of 
the experiments, probably, a« ever occurs naturally, and the results are 
so similar as to give greater value to the information artificially' ob- 
tained. 

Kespectfully, 



JOS. VOYLE. 



Prof. C. V. EiLEY, U. S. Entomologist. 



EXTRACTS FROM CORRESPONDENCE. 



Water-proof Insecticides. 

For years I have been investigating the habits of insects injurious to 
fruit and vegetables. I find that all insects are more or less suscej)ti- 
ble to smells, and their depredations can be largely prevented by the use 
of some pungent odor. The curculio ( Conofrachelus nenuphar), for exam- 
ple, can be almost entirely driven from plum-trees by the oil of penny- 
royal mixed with lard and rubbed on the branches, or cotton wool satn- 
rated with the same and suspended in muslin bags throughout the 
tree as soon as the first blossoms begin to open. I have never known 
this to fail, if done in season and thoroughly and at once renewed in 
case of rain. I have also used to advantage a strong decoction of quas- 
sia against the rose-bugs {Macrodactylus suhs2)inosus). I have made va- 
rious successful experiments in this line. I think I have made a faith- 
ful test of all the well-known insecticides, and am fully satisfied that 
when decoctions, tinctures, or emulsions are used, or when the poison 
can be temporarily held in suspension, the finer the spray the more effi- 
cacious ai)pears the remedy. I think there can be no question on this 
l^oint. A single trial of the tincture of i^yrethrum will be sufficient to 
prove this statement. How far pyrethrum can take the place of Paris 
green or London i)urple may still be an open question, or whether re- 
fined coal-oil mixed with milk or other ingredients will supply the use 
of these poisons and be equally effectual without the consequent danger. 

In the use of the various liquid insecticides in my exijeriments I 
found that their effects were often entirely nullified by exposure to the 
air, or the material itself was washed off by the first rain. This led me 
to experiment how to avoid this trouble. An addition of glue and bi- 
chromate of potash proved the best remedy. I use from one to two 
ounces of glue and one-quarter ounce of the bichromate to a gallon of 
the liquid. The glue should be soaked twenty-four hours in cold water; 
then <lissolved in hot water. The two are to be thoroughly mixed with 
the liquid insecticide. The application should in every case be made in 
the form of a miuute spray. After the evaporation of the moisture, 
which takes place in a few minutes, there remains an almost water- 
l^roof residuum retaining all its virtues. I believe I have given these 
experiments a most thorough trial, and that the result has been all that 
could be desired. There are other chemicals which will produce similar 
results, but, as far as my exijerience goes, the above has proved the 
best. 

74 



EFFECT OF COLD ON SCALE EGGS. 75 

I think there is hardly any limit to the application of a water-proof 
insecticide when applied with a proper apparatus. — [William Plumek, 
Lexington, Mass., January 22, 1883. 

[We were very glad indeed to receive the full account of Mr. 
Plunier's experiments with water-proof insecticides. For a number of 
years i^ast we have been at work at the same point, especially with refer- 
ence to the Southern cotton-worm, and the latest and most satisfactory 
results in i^reventing the washing off of insecticides by rain have been 
obtained by the perfecting of machinery' for spraying the under-sides of 
the leaves. A long series of experiments with adhesives, such as dex- 
trine, mucilage, gum-arabic, and molasses show that such substauces 
can be iised to some considerable advantage, but that this advantage 
is soon limited by the closing of the stomata of the leaves, thus injur- 
ing the plant, and bj' the interference which they offer to the use of a 
very fine spray. With Mr. Plunier's jiarticular formula we have not 
experimented, but we will see that careful trial of it is made next season. 
His experiments, as given in his letter of the 22d instant, are interest- 
ing, but we are rather skeptical as to the use of pennyroyal for the cur- 
culio, as we have always found that this insect was very slightly aifected 
by malodorants, and it is so easy to mistake a natural disappearance 
for the result of a remedy.] 



Destruction of Scale Insects by Cold. 

* * * 1 mail you with this a i)iece of orange branch covered with 
Mytilas2)is that has been submitted to a temperature lower than usually, 
if ever, occurs in this State. It was first jjlaced in the chamber of the 
glacier at atmospheric temperature 82° F., and the temijerature gradu- 
ally lowered to 42^" during one hour ; then the cooling was forced, and 
left for four hours, when the reading was 21°. The indices were then 
brought to contact, the chamber closed, the cooling forced, and then left 
for twelve hours. At the end of that time the chamber was opened, and 
the maximum immediately read, being 30°. The minimum index read 
16°. Therefore, after cooling for five hours, the coccids were subjected 
for twelve hours to a temperature commencing with 24° F., descending 
to 16°, and not rising above 30°. A microscopic examination was im- 
mediately made. No sign of life was found in the larvai examined. The 
eggs appeared natural. After drying in the atmosphere the forms of 
many of the larvse appeared shrunken ; some eggs had collapsed, leav- 
ing white forms; others retain, after twenty-four hours, their usual 
form. They will be examined from day to day, to see if any of them 
can bear the treatment, and hatch,- so as to be a guide for the next 
freezing. * * * —[Jos. Yoyle, Gainesville, Fla., May 15, 1883. 

[A careful examination of the scales received failed to show any live 

eggs.] 



76 BULLETIN NO. 4, DIVISION OF ENTOMOLOGY. 

A Pine Saw-fly from Arkansas. 

I send you specimens of the pine worm of whicb you have received 
mention. They are fast disappearing, but a great many of the largest 
trees are completely stripped of their foliage, and the sign of their rav- 
ages is visible on every tree and bush. I have never noticed but one 
instance where they had eaten any other tree than the pine, and that 
was a small ash on which a few had lodged in falling from a tree after 
defoliating it. The leaves of the ash had been eaten to a slight extent. 
They never touch the new growth, but confine themselves entirely to the 
growth of last year. * * * — [W. A. Moseley, Camden, Arl:, May 
4, 1883. 

[The pine Avorm proved to be the undescribed larva of a saw fly of the 
genus Lophyrns. These insects undergo their transformation to pnpje in 
silken cocoons on the surface of the ground, among the leaves and other 
rubbish ; hence burning over the surface of the ground in winter, where 
it is possible, will be a good remedy. Ornamental trees can be preserved 
from their attacks by syringing them with hellebore water or Paris green 
water.] 



Saw-fly' Larvae on Wheai' Heads. 

I have as fine a field of wheat as I have seen this season. This morn- 
ing, in looking over it, I find upon the heads quite a number of such 
worms as are here inclosed. They take a portion of the grains out of 
the heads they attack. They are not very numerous, perhaps three or 
four in a rod square. I am at a loss to know what they are, or whether 
they will materially injure our wheat. My neighbors also have them. 
Will you please inspect them? — [J. C. Hostetter, Minerva, Ohio, 
June 16, 1883. 

Your favor of 21st instant is at hand ; also mailing box and stamps. 

I have just returned from a walk around a twenty-acre field of wheat. 
My object was to pick off a dozen or more of those worms to send you. 
To my utter surprise (though making diligent search) I found but three, 
one of which I lost on my way to the house. Only a week ago I could 
have found any number of them in the same field. They are now gone, 
having either dropped off, or been taken by the birds, or both. Please 
pardon me, therefore, for sending only those two discoveries for inspec- 
tion. If I find more I will send again. I think these are full size, or 
nearly. I found them on small heads of wheat, the same inclosed. You 
are evidently clearly right in saying we need not ai>i)rehend much dam- 
age from them. Their time is of short duration and seems to be con- 
fined to the period soon after the wheat is in head. I don't think they 
affect the kerjjels when fully formed. — [J. C. Hosietter, Minerva, Ohio, 
June 25, 1883. 



HERBARIUM PEST THE APPLE MAGGOT. 77 

The larva above meutioned was that of a species of saw-fly (family 
Tenthredinkliv). We sent for a number of additional specimens in order 
to endeavor to obtain the mature insect, for we did not recall any record 
of injury to wlieat by a Tenthredinid in this country. Curtis gives an 
account of one in Europe, the description of which agrees very closely 
with this larva, but from his account it would seem to have come from 
some neighboring woods and not to have been naturally feeding on 
wheat. As many of the saw-fly larva^, when abundant, have a habit of 
wandering from their original food plants, such may have been the case 
in this instance. We endeavored to get positive evidence of its wheat- 
feeding habits, but failed, and the larva^ received from Mr. Hostetter 
died before transforming, so that the species was not even ascertained. 
The same larva was reported by W. S. Chamberlain, Secretary of the 
State Board of Agriculture, as occurring on wheat at Columbus, Ohio.] 



TiNEiD Moths in Dried Fungi. 

Please allow me the privilege of sending you a specimen of my col- 
lection of fungi and their foe, and, if not too much trouble, please tell 
me the name of the insect. These fungi were put in a strong paper 
box and tightly wrapped in three folds of paper and tied with twine to 
l^revent the moths from depositing on them their eggs. It seems that 
the larvte, bored through paper and box and gained access to them. 
Corrosive sublimate, »S:c., does not appear to protect them unless satu- 
rated. The only way I have succeeded in saving specimens is to put 
them in tight boxes with a sponge saturated with chloroform. 

I sent you specimens once before. You wrote me you thought them 
new. Your final answer is given in American Entomologist, vol. 3, j). 
297 — CAs fuscipes Mell. Evidently a mistake has in some way hap- 
pened.— [J. J. Brown, M. D., Sheboygan, Wis., May 15, 1883. 

[The moth proved to be Scardia cloacella, Haw., allied to the common 
grain moth. There was no mistake about Cis fuscipes. Both species 
were received, and both infest the fungi. J 



The Apple Maggot. 

* * * In regard to the apple maggot, I can say that with us it is 
a pest equal if not exceeding the Codlin moth (or its larva). It attacks 
both early and winter fruit, greenings and Baldwins seeming to be its 
choice, sometimes, yes often, completely honey-combing the fruit. We 
have fed out quantities of a])ples infested with this maggot. — [S. E. 
Frisbie, Mil/ord, Conn., March 15, 1883. 

Your very obliging letter, acknowledging receiptof the Dynastes pupa, 
should have been noticed sooner, but I wanted to find some memoran- 



78 BULLETIN NO. 4, DIVISION OF ENTOMOLOGY. 

Ehinocekos Beetle— Sand Bee — Cattle Tick. 

(liim of wliat I now suppose was a rare opportunity to have studied this 
beetle. Kone is to be found. I am ashamed to own it, and to offer my 
memory of what occurred years ago. In fact, at the time, I noticed such 
things merely for my passing j)leasure, without the least notion of in- 
teresting the world. It was as I mentioned: In March of 18C8, a large 
post-oak tree I had cut for rails, posts, and wood, was found hollow at the 
top; the cavity some 10 feet long, and branching into the larger limbs, 
by 12 inches in diameter. I do not recollect seeing any large opening 
into the cavity. There were small holes, such as might have been 
made by woodpeckers and squirrels. Within, the trunk contained no 
nests of birds or other animals, but some decaying acorn hulls, sticks, 
and leaves. The lower half contained a black, damj) mass of decaying 
vegetable matter, rotten wood and fungi. In this rotten and decaying 
mass were numbers of grubs, evidently grubs of beetles, and in size from 
1 inch to 4 in length; at the top, in looser, drier matter, were several 
|)up?p, and amongst the old sticks and leaves numbers of perfect beetles, 
most of them dead and in pieces, but a few still alive. * * * 

I send yon a small tin box containing the nest of a sand bee of some 
kind. There were four cells originally, as plowed up in a cotton field 
(» miles northeast of Selma, but the curiosity of a companion destroyed 
two of them before I was aware. A more curious thing, also, in the 
box — unless you have seen the same before — is a large tick laying her 
eggs. On the 10th of March the tick was found, full of blood, at the foot 
of a bank, where a cow had recently lubbed it off after carrying it all 
winter. I placed it in a box, with loose cotton on top. Two weeks 
later, looking at it, I found it had shrunken to half its original size, and 
the first mass of eggs was extruded. It should have been sent you 
then, but I was busy about other things and it was overlooked. Now, 
after eighteen days, it has continued to lay, and another mass is hang- 
ing to it, whilst the skin seems shrunken very much. — [Lawrence C. 
Johnson, Selma, AJo., April 20, 1883. 

[The nest of the "sand bee" was that of a species of Osmia, and the 
tick was the common Ixodes hovis.] 



Tee Screw Worm. 

Permit me to call your attention to the Texas " Screw Worm," which 
was very troublesome to stock in Kansas last year. I am medically 
informed it is the Sarcophaga georgina. I send you a larval specimen. 
It kills a great nmny animals and some people. Neglected babies, 
children, and adults with nasal catarrh are sometimes afflicted and 
killed by it. We are told that it flies into the nose of a man the same as 
the bot-fly in the nostrils of a sheep, and lays its eggs or young. In ani- 
imals a wouiul or blood attracts it. Calomel, chloroform, and carbolic 



JUNE-BUGS, PEAR-LEAF MITE, GRAPE-VINE COLASPIS. 79 

acid kill it. I shall blow dry calomel up a patient's nose or ear that is 
attacked when I treat it. It is said to prefer the dog and sheep for 
victims. 

Hope v/e may see some facts published in next Agricultural lieport 
about it, and oblige 10,000 Kansas farmers and stockmen, &c. — [VV. S. 
Xewlon, Ostcego, Kans., March 30, 1.S83. 

[The larva was that of Lucilia 7nacellaria.] 



JrxE Buas And Pear-Leaf Mites. 

The "West Town Farm and Garden Club," at its meeting last Sat- 
urday evening, had two items before it, among others, which it wishes 
to refer to you for information. 

The first regards a swarm of bugs that in large numbers at night are 
eating the foliage of the fruit trees on one or two neighboring farms. 
They are evidently a species of June bug, or May beetle, as some of the 
latter were found on the tree the smaller ones were taken from, one of 
which is inclosed with the smaller bugs. 

The other item may not come in your department. If not, please 
have it put in the right hands. 

A member brought in a branch of a pear tree, a twig of which is in- 
closed. The tree apjieared perfectly healthy up to the time of its attack, 
when in twenty-four hours the leaves were all affected more or less as 
the sample inclosed. The club would like to know the nature of the 
disease, and the remedy, if any, for it ; whether it is likely to be fatal, 
or contagious to neighboring trees. — [Jas. B. Fisher, President, West 
Town, Oranf/e County, N'. Y., May 21, 1883. 

[The "June bug" eating the foliage of the fruit trees was Lackno- 
sterna tristis. The best remedy will be found in attracting them at night 
by a light suspended over a tub of water on which is a thin scum of 
kerosene. 

The diseased appearance of the pear leaves sent was caused by one of 
the gall mites — probably Typhlodromus pyri. We advised that the tree 
be sprayed with one of the kerosene emulsions spoken of in the Animal 
Report of this Department for 1881-2, pp. 115 and 116.] 



The Grape- Vine Colaspis. 

I send you some bugs in a vial. Please tell me what they are, and if 
there is any way to kill them or prevent them from eating up grape vines 
and young grapes. Three j^ears ago I planted out 75 acres in grapes, 
mostly Scuppernong variety, but some of all kinds. Last year these 



80 BULLETIN NO. 4, DIVISION OF ENTOMOLOGY. 

bugs made their appearance iu countless luinibers, but I caught them 
in a cloth ; but this, year the vines are too large, and I tried several 
remedies and none will move them. Please inform me as soon as possi- 
ble if you know of anything, and greatly benefit, yours, respectfully. — 
[Joseph A. Hakper, lUachshear, Ga., May 10, 1883. 

[The beetle injuring the grape-vines proved to be the Grape-vine Colas- 
pis {Colaspis hrunnea Fabr.), treated in our Third Missouri Keport, p. 81. 
The larvai feed on the roots of plants, and often do considerable dam- 
age to strawbeny plants. The best remedies found are in jarring them 
into sheets saturated with kerosene, and in spraying the vines with a 
Paris green or London purple solution in the proportion of 2 ounces of 
the poison to 10 gallons of water, thoroughly stirred.] 

I have a vineyard of about 800 plants, of twenty or twenty-five differ- 
ent home varieiies. It is in its fourth year on the ground, and up to the 
12th ultimo looked perfectly beautiful and of a luxuriant growth, whilst 
the vines were almost all loaded with frui-t of excellent form and size. 
An insect has since made its appearance in myriads and myriads, and 
])erforated the leaves iu such a way as to cause their becoming dry and 
falling. It attacked almost all varieties, less in some way the Concord, 
although the leaves are fearfully damaged. The grapes, thus far, lost 
none of their vigor, owing perhaps to wet weather, which, unfortunately, 
troubles us for all other crops very much. 

In a separate parcel I send you some insects of the above. Please 
examine them, and let me know their history, and if there is any chance 
of a remedy for their destruction before they destroy- our crop. Last 
year, too, we were troubled by the same pests, but to a smaller degree. 
If my statement is any way obscure, please call it to my attention that 
I may furnish you with further information. Our Scuppernongs are 
not damaged, but many weeds with large leaves, such as docks, are per- 
fectly perforated, the same as our grape-vines. — [C. Menelas, Brooh- 
haven, 3Iifts., July C, 1883. 

[This was same insect and the same advice was sent.] 



Strawberry Fruit Beetles. 

Inclosed you will tind some insects which have proved very destruc- 
tive to my strawberries. I have only 400 plants in my garden, and 
last year should have been their best bearing year; but the crop was 
entirely destroyed by these insects. They came as the berries commenced 
turning, and we had very few to ripen, as they ate small holes in them, 
and then the whole berry became soft. I salted the vines when they 
were done bearing last year, thinking it might kill the bugs for this 
year. And 1 thought I had succeeded, as we gathered a splendid crop 



GREEN SOLDIER-BUG ON ORANGE TREES. 81 

of berries before the bugs carae ; but the last week of beariug the crop 
was again destroyed by the same insect. 

Is it a new plague, or has it been known before, and can you tell me 
what it is, and what will prevent its ravages in the future ? — [Mrs. Geo. 
-k'HALL, North WaleSj Montgomery County, Fennxylvama, July 4, 1883. 

[The insect accompanying this letter, and which was said to injure 
strawberries, was a common beetle known as Stelidota strigosa, Schon. 
it has never been recorded as doing any appreciable damage to any 
crop before. It feeds ordinarily upon fallen fruit, in which the female 
also lays her eggs. The larva attains its full growth in a short time, 
and the beetle issues in late summer and hibernates in this state. With 
regard to remedies, it will be difficult to advise. Feeding on the fruit 
as it does, the ordinary poisons cannot be used. The insects and their 
breeding habits should be carefully studied on the spot; in this way a 
remedy can doubtless be found.] 



Green Soldier-Bug (Raphigaster hilakis) on Orange Treeh. 

* * * You also request observations on the Green Soldier-bug. I 
forward by same mail twigs of the orange tree injured by the bug. The 
insects are coupling now. The females will soon lay the eggs in a 
cluster on a leaf, straddling over them while laying. The young ap- 
pear in the latter part of February or the first part of March. As ob- 
served by the eye the young are black, with white spots, which color 
they retain until nearly full grown, when they acquire wings and change 
to a bright green. How this is done I do not know. They mature very 
quickly, and increase with surprising rapidity, continuing to breed 
until November. In the spring and early summer they confine their 
attacks principally to garden vegetables and succulent weeds. They 
are particularly abundant on tomato- vines, egg-plants, turnip-tops, and 
mustard, seldom doing much damage to orange trees at this season. 
When pea- vines are well grown, about or a little before the time of blos- 
soming, they abandon nearly everything for the pea- vines. Last year 
they totally destroyed my garden. Not one tomato came to perfection. 
Where the insect had inserted its sucking- tube a reddish-yellow spot 
appeared. When cut the fruit was full of lumps aud totally devoid of 
flavor. The tomato-vines grew so euovmous a crop that the ground 
was almost covered by the fallen fruit. Last year I had 35 acres 
planted in cowpea vines, which bore an enormous crop of peas; 
but not enough sound peas could be gathered to plant 5 acres addi- 
tional land. Later it was impossible to find a sound pea. I attempted 
to turn under the vines, but so luxuriant was the growth that it could 
not be done. Towards the end of August the pea-vines were dead or 
dying, when the bugs swarmed to the orange tree, killing nearly all the 
8993— Bui. 4 G 



82 BULLETIN NO. 4, DIVISION OF ENTOMOLOGY. 

new j^iowtb. Immense numbtu's were killed by keeping men constantly 
going over the grove, shaking the trees, and killing all that fell on the 
ground. The wingless individuals were readily killed, but the larger 
number of the mature insects saved themselves by flight. This method 
of destruction was kept up until the middle of December, by which 
time very few were found. On very cold days the winged insects were 
nearly dormant and could not fly. I have the trees frequently searched 
now, but rarely find the bug. The number of the insects is incredible. 
When thoroughly shaken, the ground under the trees would be alive 
with the fallen insects, and two days later just as many would be found. 
I despaired of getting rid of them until the cold weather commenced, 
when I found the nnmber rapidly decrease until their nearly' total ex- 
tinction. 

As to the damage. The bug first attacks the latest growth, which 
wilts and droops while the bug is sucking; in a few days the shoot is 
dead ; the same eye soon sends out another shoot which shares the fate 
of its predecessor, and so on until the eye has the aj^pearance of a large 
bunch, as you will see on twigs sent. After all the tender growth has 
been destroyed the bug inserts his sharp sucking tube in the previous 
growth which has nearly hardened. Here I can only give you the facts 
and my theory ; it is a fact that the insect sucks such wood, but the 
damage does not follow so quickly ; but very soon after, on such wood 
known to be sucked, numerous bumps appear, which crack and exude 
a sticky sap, white at first, but soon a rusty red, and hard. Later on 
the insects suck the juice from fully-matured wood (an inch or more in 
diameter) ; on this wood the bumps do not appear, but the same kind 
of sticky sap exudes in tears, which soon harden and redden and are 
what I understand by " red rust." That the cause and effect are strictly 
true I can only surmise, but this much I and my men hav^e seen: the in- 
sects sucking the sap as stated and the branches where sucked having 
the appearance described. In the winter months I have found clusters 
of the bugs on the stocks of the buds, two inches in diameter, and always 
an exudation of sap at these places, which I have never observed to 
redden as in the instances stated above. Why this is so, and why the 
insect leaves the more tender bud above to suck the sap from harder 
wood nearer the roots, I can offer no suggestion. At first I was strongly 
inclined to think that red rust was caused hy soil-poisoning, but if so, 
why is it that trees have grown for many years on the same soil and 
never had this disease until the introduction of the Green Bug ? To 
illustrate : When I bought this place ten years ago there was a field of 
five acres which had been in partial cultivation several years, and on 
which grew spontaneously the tomato and mustard i)lant, the two plants 
on ^hich the insects thrive the best. (At present I can onl^^ find the 
insect on the mustard.) Since my purchase I have kept this field 
constantly growing pea -vines, as well as the forty other acres which 
I have in orange trees, thus giving every encouragement to the in- 



GliEEN SOLDIER-BUG ON ORANGE TREES. ^3 

crease of the pest. Adjoining this old field was a wild orange grove 
in a dense forest. Many of the sonr stumps had large sweet buds, 
neither the buds nor sour trees giving anj' signs of the red rusC until 
the winter following the clearing, and after a crop of pea- vines had been 
grown among the trees. iSTow the trees in this wild grove are just as 
much damaged as in the old field adjoining. Another case I will men- 
tion, and not trespass further on your patience. Five miles distant is 
the grove of L. Merritt, a wild grove budded. The buds are six years 
old and ought to be bearing heavy crops, but an occasional bloom is all. 
The trees have been in an unhealthy and " die back " condition for sev- 
eral years. When visiting his grove in the fall of 1881 , 1 told him I had 
some trees in the same condition and was inclined to think the Green 
Bug was the cause. Since that time he has persistently hunted the bug, 
whipping it out of the large trees with poles, and killing wherever 
found ; also he stopped planting peas. I have just visited his grove and 
fouiul but two twigs damaged, and could not find a specimen of the 
bug. The trees have changed so remarkably in this grove that it was 
past recognition. Instead of a dense crop of dead twigs all over his 
grove, as at a previous visit, the trees had nearly doubled in size, and 
had a very large, healthy growth of branches in place of the dead twigs. 
I hear his trees are now in profuse bloom. I do not think that washes 
will do much damage to the bug. Very strong whale-oil soap rarely- 
kills. Whale-oil soap, 1 pound; kerosene oil, 1 pint; water, 12 pints ; 
sometimes kills when sprayed over them, nearly always when immersed. 
Pure kerosene kills, but not always instantly. 

The Green Bug has a parasite. I do not know what, but I frequently 
find their shells with the inside devoured. Last winter I buried a num- 
ber to see if plowing under would kill them. In ten days none were 
dead; in three weeks 20 per cent, were dead, nothing remaining but the 
shells; in six weeks all but one were dead, empty shells remaining. 
The living insect I put in a bottle with a little earth over it, hoping to 
find the parasite, but unfortunately in about ten days the bottle was 
broken, the Green Bug was dead, the empty shell as in the other in- 
stances. 

At present the insect is very rare here ; if found at all, generally on 
the mustard plant or a weed locally known as nightshade. Yesterday, 
while showing a lemon tree to some visitors, I found some of the twigs 
drooping and remarked it looked like the work of the Green Bug. One 
was found under a leaf close to his work. I send you one of the shoots. 
If at any time you may consider the subject of sufficient importance to 
send a trained observer in the field, I will be happy to see him here and 
place every facility at his disposal. ' 

With apologies for the length of my letter. — [James Franklin, West 
Apopka, Fla., January 31, 1883. 



84 BULLETIN NO. 4, DIVISION OF ENTOMOLOGY. 

The Apple Tree Plant-louse. 

Could you make it convenient to tell me the name of the inclosed 
Aphides? This is fruit year for the apples of Monmouth County, New 
Jersey, and tlie trees are almost black on the flower buds with these 
lice. The farmers are filled with apprehensions. Last night was a 
black frost, and it bids fair to be so to-night. But I find that, though 
numb on the trees to-day, they became quite lively when brought into 
the house. What do you think about them ? Is it usual so early ? Any 
information will be gratefully received. 

P. S. — Just after making up the package my son brought me some buds 
of Bartlett pears similarly attacked. I opened the i^ackage and put them 
in. They are inclosed in tinfoil, thus separating them from the others. — 
[Samuel Lockwood, Freehold, N. J., April 25, 1883. 

[The louse was the common Aphis mali, and it is not at all unusual to 
find them in such numbers thus early in the season. As a remedy we 
advised trying a very dilute kerosene emulsion, as described in our last 
Eeport for 1881-2, pages 112-llG.J 



Oak Bark-lice. 

With this note I send you portions of an oak twig {Quercus aquatica) 
which are incrusted with scales or galls, or whatever you may term 
them. The branch looks barnacled. 

I do not remember ever having seen them before. The oak from 
which they came is growing on the roadside, and is about 15 feet high. 
The twig or young branch seems to have been twisted by some driver 
who wanted a switch, but who did not succeed in wringing it off". It 
is (as you will see from the young leaves) still growing, and upon 
this twig only were found the insect scales. Nowhere else on the tree 
are they to be seen — only on this hanging and twisted branch. — [J. H. 
Mellichamp, Bluffton, S. C, April 23, 1883. 

[The bark-lice belonged to an undescribetl species of the true genus 
Lecanium. The fact that they were found on the broken twig is of great 
interest, as bearing on the preference which all bark-lice seem to have 
for enfeebled trees and i)ortions of trees.] 



Cattle Tick on Human Body. 

This tick was removed by a friend of mine — a physician — from the 
border of the arm-pit of a young lady. The tick had penetrated so 
Jeeply that it was removed with some difficulty without breaking it in 



ORANGE IKSECTS AND DISEASES. 85 

liieces. As far as I can ascertain by consulting Packard's Guide, I guess 
it may be a species of Ixodes. Is it a common pest ? — [H. C. Beards- 
LBj:, Painesville, Ohio, July 1, 1883. 

[The tick was a variety of Ixodes bovis.] 



Orange Bust Mite, Mealy Bug, and Tap-Root Disease. 

Having business near Orange Lake during the past week, I visited 
several orange groves. I found all of the Florida varieties of scale- 
insects in abundance. Oranges are already rusty, and the rust mite in 
many places, on both leaves and fruit, in such large numbers as to give 
a distinct coloration, distinguishable at a distance of ten feet. 

But the most destructive insect, at present absorbing all the attention 
of the orange-growers there, is the mealy bug, Bactylopius destructor. 
Tliis insect causes the fruit to rot under the colonies. A favorite place 
of lodgment is at the stem, under the cal^^x; the result is, the fruit 
drops. 

I staid there three days to exan)ine methods used and experiment in 
their destruction. 

The cottony armor repels all watery solutions. 

The methods used are : spraying each separate colony with pure ker- 
osene b^' means of bellows atomizers; and mechanical action — rubbing 
or pinching ea(;h separate colony (by colony I mean the little clusters 
consisting of from ten to several hundred individuals) ; this is done by 
the fingers. 

I examined the trees that had been treated with the kerosene spray 
and found both the leaves and fruit spotted yellow. I was also in- 
formed that fruit saved in this way two years ago was useless, having 
absorbed the odor of kerosene. The eifective progress made by the 
means used is trifling, in consideration of the work to be done. I tried 
experiments with solutions of murvite, sprayed on, but with no good 
result; then tried kerosene butter, using thick, milky solution of mur- 
vite, which combines inexactly the same way as with cow's milk, and 
found that an effective emulsion could thus be made. 

After using and watching the action of this for some time, I saw that 
the interior insects of a dense mass were protected by the exterior ones; 
further experiments were made to meet this difiBculty. By watching 
the men at work I saw that nearly every infested orange was handled 
to turn all of its sides to the eye ; that wherever a large colony found 
lodgment in a fork of twigs or in a depression of the bark they were 
handled, also that the bunches of Spanish moss {TUlandsia) formed 
formidable breeding places. All of these require force for their dislodg- 
ment. 



86 BULLETIN NO. 4, DIVISION OF ENTOMOLOGY. 

A strong stream of water was tried and proved effective, bat labor- 
ious, and tlie insects falling to the ground were not killed. 

Experiments witL solution of nmrvite, made under a microscoi)e, 
showed that in all cases where the solution came into actual contact 
with the skin of the insect the bug was instantly killed. Acting upon 
this and the knowledge gained by previous observation and experi- 
ment, I tried the effect of a fine, solid stream issuing under pressure, 
using a solution of murvite, one i)art, to water two hundred and fifty 
parts. The results were excellent 5 the solution being forced into the 
colonies broke them up, and coming into contact with the insects killed 
them, the method of working being one man at the pump, another to 
guide the stream. The apparatus improvised being badly adapted to 
the purpose is very awkward. The work, although about four times as 
fast as with the bellows atomizer, is not adequate to the economical re- 
quirements. This method has the merit of no loss by damage to fruit 
or leaves by the material used ; the waste, falling on the leaves and 
branches, will exterminate both scale insects and rust mites, these 
being plentiful, but neglected in the presence of the more pressing 
necessity of saving the growing crop from destruction by the mealy bug. 

Business required my presence at home, so I was obliged to leave. 
As I can do so, I will try to tit up an apparatus adapted to this work. 
Having none of the insects here, or, as far as I know, nearer than the 
ake, twenty miles distant, T cannot make any experiments at home as 
I would like to do. 

At Micanopy I found several large trees dying slowly from some un- 
seen cause. Some time ago 1 induced one person to dig under the lateral 
roots and examine the tap root of a tree in a similar condition ; result, 
bark of tap root not all rotten. I was not present to examine it. The 
tree being large and yielding well, the owners generally prefer to take 
the chance of recovery to any act that may expose the roots and increase 
the damage; but the matter is important and statements are confused' 
some say that a white worm causes it ; others, white ants; others, wood 
lice. 1 have found trees damaged by each of them, but they differ from 
the causes at Micanopy. I have heard of its being serious at other 
places. 

Can you advise me of the best means of proceeding, what to look for, 
and how to look for it, so that if I have opportunity I may intelligently 
search into thematter !— 1 Jos. Voyle, Gainesville, Fla.,Jttne 12, 1883. 

[This disease of the larger trees is supposed by Mr. Hubbard and others 
to be caused by the tap-root reaching water and decaying in consequence.] 



miscellaneous florida insects. 87 

Miscellaneous Observations. 

The larva of the Papilio cresphontes has, to me, a new ene 
few eueinies has it, from its smell, no doubt, that no birds a 
though often exposed. The shrike, that is almost omnivorous, 
touch it, nor will the bee martin, nor the mocking bird. The 
fly is only occasionally a parasite. The Mutilla (cow ant) this year has 
nearly cleared my trees of the cresplwntesx it snips out a piece from the 
abdominal ring, takes a sip of the fluid, and then the "sugar-ants" 
finish the work. By the way, these "sugar-ants" — small, yellow fel- 
lows — are pests invading the cupboard, getting into meat, sugar, «S:c. I 
find their nests in rotten wood, in roofs, logs, «&c. They are nearly as 
bad as the cockroach, and this last ought to be named '■'-Omnivora peri- 
lilaneia." Pyrethrum has but little effect on the roach here. 

I made a "grand round" lately to see the eftect of my experiments 
with kerosene last year. 

In Bulletin No. 1, pp. 17,18, Professor Hubbard states that a five 
per cent, kerosene emulsion did not prove satisfactory, and that by 
next spring Dr. Neal would have considerably modified his conclu- 
sion. Of course, if the facts proved me wrong, J would, but they do not- 

Experiment 1. Made at Judge J.F. McDoneirs,5 miles south of me — 
trees 12-32 years old, badly affected. June 1,1883; trees growing well 
and clear of the old scale. The most of the leaves dropped, but a new 
growth soon took their place. 

3. Two miles southeast of Archer. Examined in October and No- 
vember : no scale on the new growth of leaves; none June 1, except 
when trees affected had been set in proximity. 

10. Five miles south. The owner reports, "trees in good order; no 
scale on the trees you worked on." 

From what I have seen, 1 can see no reason to modify the conclusion 
on p. 34, though I believe it most economical of time and money to buy 
and use "Bounetheau's" emulsion, made at Jacksonville. Then a com- 
pound of kerosene, petroleum, tobacco, potash, &c., is cheap and easily 
used. Two two and one-half per cent, applications, one in March and 
one in June, do good work. Dr. Todd, of Lawtey, Fla.,ha8 used " crude 
petroleum," made up a la kerosene 5 per cent, emulsion, and likes it bet- 
ter than kerosene or creosote. 

Who has tried "oil of tansy"? A few experiments I have made in- 
dicate that in most cases it is a grand insecticide, and added to kerosene 
emulsion doubles its efficacy. The proportion I have not yet deter- 
mined. It could be very easily obtained, as probably an infusion would 
answer. 

There is a general abeyance of insects this year; very few of the 
Heliothis in corn or tomato ; no cotton worms yet found, and no Dysder- 
cus reiwrted. Even the Plusia and Agrotis are not plentiful. Result 
of the warm February ? * * * [ j. c. Neal, M. D., Archer, Fla.^ 
July 3, 1883. 



88 BULLETIN NO. 4, DIVLSION OF ENTOMOLOGY. 

Anothek East Indian Cotton Worm Remedy. 

With regard to seudiug to your Department specimens of insects 
which injure the cotton crop in Burma, I regret I cannot do it at once, 
as most of the cotton fields in Burma have been left waste for the last 
two or three years, on account of disturbances between the king . ■' 
Burma and Shan chiefs. At such times the cultivators are not safe 
being every now and then attacked by the enemy and looted, but I Wi'l 
keep in mind, and will endeavor as soon as an opportunity is offered t. 
procure the specimens of injurious insects which attack the cotton and 
forward the same to you as desired. 

1 will send you shortly another remedy for injurious insects ; it is the 
bark of a tree that natives soak in ajar of water for twenty-four hours, 
after which the water is sprinkled on the plants, I am told that 
by such process insects are killed, and the smell of the water on the 
plants prevents them going near to the plants any further. I shall send 
the seed also with the bark, that on trial of the experiment, if success- 
ful, you may try the seed for growing the tree. — [G. Lucas, Rangoon, 
Burma, January 29, 1883. 



Possible northern Food-plant of Aletia. 

Referring to mine of 17th ultimo, and in reply to yours of 13th instant, 
I regret to state that the larva unknown described to you as feeding on 
Hibiscus trionum, disappeared during the night of the 23d ultimo, before 
which time I had discovered two simihir, save a black dorsal line, 
each upon flower spike of Lupinus pilosus. A drawing was sent to the 
Entomological Society of Ontario, and a description. I have to state 
that larvae similar in size and color to Figs. 1 and 5 of Plates V and VI, 
page 348, Agricultural Report for 1879, were seen by me in my garden 
at Riverside in August of 1879 — supposition, from eggs attached to 
botanical debris obtained near Washington, perhaps leaves and fruit 
of Callirrhoe pedata obtained from back of Mr. Gray's, 204 Seventh street 
southwest — crawling upon and imbedded in plants of Gnaphalium uligi- 
nosumL. {Marsh. Cudweed), a common weeil in this district, i. e., Riverside. 
I sent you a specimen of the i)lant from my garden. — [Alfred H. Moore, 
loronto, Onf., October 19, 1883. 



Pari A aterrima Injuring Strawberries. 

I sent you some larvae of the strawberry crown-borer in a potato this 
morning. I have a few more now and will send them the same way, ex- 
cept that I will inclose some damp soil with them. I think they do not 
eat now, for I find them in a little cavity in the earth, not far from the 
surface. I have beeu ac(iuainted with this pest for ten years, and I re- 



PARIA ATERRIMA INJURING STRAWBERRIES. 89 

oeive plants from all parts of the couutry that have been injured bj' it. 
The injury it does by boring- into the crown is as nothing compared with 
what it does to the roots, eating oft" the bark and fine roots. Soon after 
the roots are iuj ured the leaves get rusty and finally die. The inner leaves 
lose their glossy and healthy appearance. Where they are plenty they 
yill injure the roots of young runners almost as fast as new plants are 
i ormed. It is common to find a runner with four or five plants, the oldest 
oi" which will have its roots ruined, the next two more or less damaged, and 
the youngest uninjured. Plants set in s])ring to be grown in hills wil 
flourish till July, or August, then send out weak, slender runners, com- 
mence to rust, and almost die. These larvse never bore down the cen- 
ter of the crown, but down and part way around the outside and some 
times horizontally into the center. I am not sure it is the crown-borer 
at all. A few years ago I received plants from Dimondale, Mich., where 
Professor Cook first saw the strawberry-root worm. If this is it I have 
had it ten years in this town. The plants I speak of were greatly injured 
the first season, so that I had to remove them. As soon as I see a bed 
where this pest is at work 1 can tell by the rusty, sickly appearance of 
the foliage. 

There is another worm that damages my plants to a great extent, but 
it is not confined to the strawberry. It eats potatoes, carrots, or any roots, 
and is very fond of celery. When it works on strawberries the foliage 
is apt to lose its dark glossy green look, and become almost variegated, 
yellow and green. The leaves do not attain their full size, and have a 
warped appearance, like a thin jiiece of steel made red hot and thrown 
into water. These worms are about three-fourths of an inch in length, 
not thicker than a j^in, brown color, with many legs, and almost as hard 
as wire. Early in the spring 1 find many without legs, almost white, 
and less lively than the ones I describe. 

Many of mj^ plants are i)erforated by a little bug or beetle about one- 
fourth of an inch long, in shape resembling a striped cucumber bug, and 
of a dull yellowish color. I saw plenty of them two months ago, making 
holes in the tenderest leaves, and now I see many of their holes. Is it the 
crown-borer? 

I would like to know where the eggs of these larvae are laid. I have 
found that young plants taken up in July and washed clean and planted 
in a new bed are sometimes badly injured the same fall, but cannot tell 
whether the eggs were attached to them or not. — [M. Crawford, Cuy- 
ahoga Falls, Ohio, October 9, 1883. 

[The larvje were not those of the Strawberry Crown-borer {Analcis 
fragarke), but belonged to a little beetle known as Paria aterrima, the 
same species mentioned by Professor Cook in his address before the 
Ingham County Horticultural Society, and described in the American 
Entomologist for October, 1880. The other worm mentioned and which 
was not confined to strawberries, was the common lulus multistriatus, 
one of the commonest of the " thousand-legged worms."] 



90 BULLETIN NO. 4, DIVISION OF ENTOMOLOGY, 

The Elm-leae Beetle. 

Galeruca xanthomeUvna came in great force iu June, and defoliated 
all our beautiful elms, to the great injury of our village. In tlie third 
week of July the trees sill put forth a new crop of leaves, about one- 
third the size of the first croi). In the fourth week of July the second 
brood of Galeruca came, aud devoured the new leaves. We are all 
anxious to see whether the trees will stand this treatment next spring. 
I fear our fine elms here are all doomed. — [Rev. Samuel Lockwood, 
Freehold, N. J.^ August G, 1883. 



Grape Pest — Codling Moth. 

I send you to-day a beetle which you will confer a favov by determin- 
ing at your earliest convenience. You will remember I sent you a 
BUqistimts said to be destroying foliage of grape-vines. Now here is 
another Tenebrionid that in one case has destroyed 35 acres of grape-vine. 
(Further particulars soon.) I also send you a codling moth I raised from a 
pear four years ago. I found quite a number last year. Is this a differ- 
ent species from Carpocapsa 2)omonelh(, or only a variety ? The speci- 
men is in vial. — [Matthew Cooke, Sacramento, CaL, July 23, 1883. 

[The Tenebrionid sent was Eleodes quadricolUs Lee; a very numerous 
species in the more northern part of California. The species of that genus, 
so numerous and abundant in the region west of the Rocky Mountains, are 
all known to feed upon decaying vegetable matter, and none have hith- 
erto been reported as doing damage to cultivated plants. In fact, this 
communication, if correct, w^ould indicate a change of habit hitherto un- 
precedented in the history of economic entomology, and, unless further 
proof be brought forth, we can hardly believe that the species referred to 
is the real author of the damage to grape- vines. The only species of the 
large family Tenebriomdw which can be considered as injurious are 
those feeding on stored produce, e.g., Tenehrio molitor, T. obscuriis, Tri- 
hoUnni ferrugineum, Gnathocerus cornutus, and a few others. 

The codling moth was an interesting variety of Carpocapsa pomonellay 
with obsolete maculation.l 



The Wheat Midge. 

I find that I have fallen into the error of using a name for the wheat 
])est that is in erroneous use here (n-eeril). The one I mean is called in 
Ontario the midge. It comes out in the fly state in July, and deposits 
its eggs near the kernels when the wheat is in its early stage. The yel- 
low grubs live upon the wheat in its milky state and leave it shriveled 
aud worthless. When we get a very early season, as this is, the wheat 



MAMESTRA PICTA EATING PEA-VINES. 91 

sown before the 1st of May matures earlier aud escapes to a great ex- 
tent. Last year the wheat sown on the 16th of June got very Veil 
clear, but that sown from the 5th to last of May was severely handled 
by the midge. I shall be glad if you can give me any information as to 
the best means of getting rid of the pest. I have no doubt you are well 
acquainted with its habits and have often referred to it in your reports. 

If you wish I will collect and forward samples of eggs in season. — 
[Wm. Heaed, The Cedars^ Prince EchcarcVs Island, April 23, 1883. 

[The insect spoken of in this letter was, without doubt, the Wheat 
Midge {I)i2)losis tritici, Kirby). It has done but little damage in the 
United States for the last twenty years, and we have not had occasion 
to study it particularly, nor have there been any articles of importance 
published about it since Dr. Fitch's lengthy summary in the Transactions 
of the New York State Agricultural Society for 1860. This Is the best 
account of the midge ever i^ublished. Another excellent account is 
found in Harris's Insects Injurious to Vegetation. We sent for further 
specimens and received the following reply:] 

In accordance with the request contained in your favor of 28th April 
last, I now forward by mail some specimens of wheat midge, which are 
in good condition for investigation. This year we would have had a 
magnificent return but for the dejiredations of this insect. In some 
districts the loss is total. Late-sown wheat has so far escaped. Per- 
haps this may be found the only safe plan, but the risk of bad weather 
in September for harvest induces many to run the risk of early sowing. 

* * * [Wm. Heard, The Cedars, Prince Edwardh Island, August 
22, 1883. 



MAMESTRA PICTA EATING PEA ViNES. 

A little worm is eating our pea vines. Not having noticed it before, 
I thought I would send you a few specimens for determination. I send 
them in a small box by this mail. If not too much trouble, please tell 
me the name, and if it is common. Have found it on only one or two 
plants, but these plants were covered and entirely destroyed. — [F. H. 
HoRHFORD, Charlotte, Vt., June 30, 1883. 

[These specimens were in poor condition and unrecognizable, and 
more were sent for, which were received together with the following 
letter:] 

Yours of the 5th is at hand. I inclose in a vial, by this mail, a few 
of the live worms which I sent some time since. Thej^ have grown so 
much that I would hardly recognize them if I did not find them on the 
pea vines. They seem to do much d amage, but are not yet very numerous. 
The first plant that I discovered was completely covered with the little 
worms like what I sent you first. — [F. H. Horsford, July 8, 1883. 



92 BULLETIN NO. 4, DIVISION OF EN rOHVIOLOGY. 

[These were perfectly satisfactory, and were easily recognizable as the 
Zebra caterpillar {Mamestra jiicta, Harris), flgured and described in 
Harris's Insects Injurious to Vegetation, in the second report on the 
Insects of Missouri, and in the report of the Entomologist of the De- 
partment for 1883. From its conspicuous appearance, and from the fact 
that the caterpillars are gregarious when young, it is easily destroyed 
by hand picking.] 



Locusts in Yucatan. 

Referring to my dispatch Ko. 70, dated November 27, 1882, and to 
Department instructions jSTo. 65 and 75, dated, respectively, January 3, 
1883, and June 20, 1883, I have now the honor to report as follows: 

The flights of locusts reported by me in my No. 70 increased in size 
and numbers, and invested the whole country, where they have bred 
with astonishing prolificacy. The situation of affairs here is exceed- 
ingly grave. 

The whole country is now swarming- with this insect in both the "'hop- 
per" state and as the perfect insect. Nothing- escapes their voracity. 
For a time hopes were entertained that the henequen plant* would be 
free, but now everything is being destroyed. Lamentable stories are 
brought in daily of the utter destruction of promising corn, bean, and 
henequen fields of vast extent. The peculiar conformation of the coun- 
try renders any systematic and efficient warfare against them extremely 
difficult, if, indeed, practicable. Added to this is the natural " laisser 
aller " and indifference of the ordinary Mexican. Sporadic outbursts of 
energy are seen here and there, but very little is thus accomplished. 
The State legislature some time ago passed a decree calling on every 
male inhabitant of the State to give one day's work in each week to- 
wards killing locusts, or in lieu thereof 50 cents per week. 

The decree is good, but, so far as I can learn, it has not yet been put 
into effect. 

The results are already deplorable; cattle and horses are dying for 
want of food; the Indian who lives only on corn can no longer depend 
on the home crop, but must buy imported corn at the rate in city of 
Merida of 13.25 per "carga" of 04 pounds, say 3^ cents i)er pound 
wholesale, but by the time it reaches the Indian it costs him nearly 6 
cents a pound. He can earn 25 cents a day. Part of this goes toward 
extinguishing- his ever increasing debt to his employer, the remainder 
to provide for his great, hungry family. 

In 1881 there were imported into this State 549,026 bushels of corn; 
this year three times this quantity will be needed, and unless this plague 
be abated, Yucatan will very shortly have no henequen fiber to send 



Agave sisalana. 



SUPPOSED IMPORTATION OF PHYLLOXERA. 93 

about in exchange for corn. Money is exceedingly tight ; exchange at 
an extravagant figure, and in general the prospects of Yucatan are ex- 
ceedingly gloomy. 

I shall be pleased to furnish any details the Department may desire, 
or to answer any questions that may be put. — [Louis H. Ayme, United 
States Consul, Merida, Yucatan, August 25, 1883. 



Supposed Importation of Phylloxera. 

The following corresj^ondence having been the subject of several 
Associated Press dispatches last April, we print it in full : 

Treasury Department, April 17, 1883. 
Sir : I transmit herewith a report from the collector of customs at 
New York, dated the 13th instant, in regard to the importation at that 
port of vine-cuttings, which it is suspected may be infected with phyl- 
loxera. The report of the examiner who made the examination is not 
conclusive on the question at issue, but even if it were I know of no 
law that authorizes this Department to prevent their delivery. Dr. 
Battershall, of the appraiser's office at New York, suggested that the 
clippings be submitted for examination to Professor Eiley of your De- 
partment, and they are accordingly transmitted for such examination. 
Please return the paper with such comments as you may deem proper. 
Y'^ours, very respectfully, 

H. F. FRENCH, 

Acting Secretary. 
Hon. Geo. B. Loring, 

Commissioner of Agriculture. 

Custom- House, New York, 
Collector's Office, April 13, 1883. 
Sir : I herewith transmit a communication from the United States 
consul at Funchal, inclosing invoice of vine-cuttings. The communi- 
cation of the consul was referred to the appraisers immediately on re- 
ceipt, and that officer's report thereon is herewith inclosed. I also for- 
ward the vine sample alluded to in the appraiser's report. 

Being unable to find any provision of law authorizing the collector 
to seize or otherwise interfere with importations of this character, even 
though the vines are affected as surmised, I respectfully refer the mat- 
ter to the Department, with the request that instructions be given as 
to any action to be taken by me in the premises. 
Very respectfully, 

W. H. EOBERTSON, 

Collector. 
Hon. Chas. J. Folger, 

Secretary of the Treasury. 



d4 bulletin no. 4, division of entomology. 

Port of Xew Yokk, Appraiser's Office, 

April 10, 1883. 

Sir: Respectfully referriug to the inclosed coiumuuication, directing 
tlirtt a microscopic examination be made of a sample of certain vine 
clippings recently imported from the island of Madeira, I have the honor 
to report as follows : I have submitted the above sample to a microsco- 
pic examination, and, while I have as yet been unable to detect certain 
positive indications of the presence of phylloxera, I am of the opinion, 
after comparing the clippings with others of known freedom from 
disease, that they present appearances which are at least suspicious. 
Considering the importance of this matter, I would respectfully suggest 
that the clippings under consideration be submitted for examination to 
Prof. C. V. Riley, who I believe is at present the entomologist of the 
United States Department of Agriculture, aiul who has devoted more 
attention to this special subject than any other American scientist. 

An investigation would require experience of a peculiar nature, and 
would involve a more complete acquaintance with the ph^'sical ai)pear- 
ance of the healthy and diseased vine than I can make claim to. 
Respectfully, 

J. B. BATTERSHALL. 

The Hon. A. G. Ketchum. 

Washington, Ajjril 18, 1883. 

Sir: In reply to the letter of the Assistant Secretar^^ of the Treas- 
ury, with inclosures from the New York Custom-House, respecting an 
invoice of vine-cuttings from MadeirA. suspected of " phylloxera disease," 
I would submit the following: 

The samples submitted, upon examination, furnish no sign whatever 
of Phylloxera, and it is extremely doubtful whether any trace of Phyl- 
loxera could be discovered upon any of the cuttings : 1st, because Phyl- 
loxera is not known to be destructive in Madeira; and, 2d, because it 
could only be found in winter egg, which, even in countries where Phyl- 
loxera abounds, is extremely rare. Hence the chances of the introduc- 
tion of the pest upon these cuttings are so very remote as not to be 
worth considering. But, even if the cuttings came from a country 
badly infested with Phylloxera, the danger of the introduction of the 
pest upon them would be very slight, the reasons for which conclusion 
I have already discussed in the American Naturalist for March, 1881, 
and I beg leave to inclose a copy of said article, which gives in addi- 
tion a succinct statement of the life habits of the insect. 

Even were it possible to introduce the insect with these cuttings, no 
harm could result so long as they were sent to any part of the United 
•States east of the Rocky Mountains, since the Phylloxera is indigenous 
here. On the same supposition that the cuttings were badly infested, 
prudence would dictate that they should not be sent to the Pacific coast, 
or those portions of it where the Phylloxera does not yet exist ; but 



EXPERIMENTS IN THE GROWTH OF FYRETHRUM. 95 

for the reasous first given I do not hesitate to say that there can be no 
danger in sending them even there, and as it seems that there is no 
hiw to warrant their detention they may certainly be forwarded without 
fear of injury. 

Eespectfully, 

C. V. RILEY, 

Entomologist. 
Hon. Geo. B. LoRiNa, 

Commissioner of Agriculture. 



FURTHER REPORTS ON THE GROWTH OF FYRETHRUM. 

CALriFGRNiA, San Bernardino, August 12, 1883. — James S. Brooks. 
I have a few plants of pyrethrum now in flower, raised from seed that 
I sent East for last year, but as I do not know how to prepare the pow- 
der for the purpose of destroying insects I shall let the seed ripen and 
plant again next season, hoping that I will succeed better, as but very 
few plants came up. 

Canada. Dunda?, Out., June 22, 1882, — John A. Fisher. 

I have much pleasure in inclosing you three flowers raised by me 
from the pyrethrum seed which you so kindly sent me a little over a 
year ago. The plants that I have are in a perfect mass of bloom. 

Canada. Riverside, Toronto, September 9, 1883. — Alfred H. Moore. 
A plant of the 1881 seedlings of pyrethrum rose bloomed last May 
(1883) so gloriously as to elicit a notice in the Evening Telegram of this 
city. Had in bloom, nearly at same time, twenty-seven heads, but no 
fecundated fruit. Are the flowers all entomophilous, and so abortive? 

Illinois. Champaign, July 12, 1882.— S. A. Forbes. 

Concerning the pyrethrum seed sent me, I believe that I have not re- 
ported that I succeeded in raising a few plants last year, although most 
failed because of the severe drought. Those that grew survived the 
winter, blossomed this summer, and matured their seed about three 
weeks ago. This was Pyrethrum roseum. The seed of both species has 
come up sparingly this spring, injured this time by the extremelj^ wet 
■weather. 

Iowa. Garrison, June 10, 1882. — James H. Dickson. 

I received a package of pyrethrum seed (insect-powder plant) in the 
spring of 1881 from Professor Riley, and sowed seed in a shallow box 
and placed it in a hot-bed. The seed nearly all grew, and were trans- 
planted to the garden the latter part of April. They grew fast and had 
a few blooms the latter part of September, but not enough to pay for 
the gathering. Before hard-freezing weather set in I gave the bed a 



96 BULLETIN NO. 4, DIVISION OF ENTOMOLOGY. 

light coveriujj: of leaves, at tlie same time liftiug a few i)lants and pot- 
ting tliein, tliinkiug if I lost those in the o])en groiiud that I would still 
have a start; but those in the open ground started with a vigorous 
growth, and to-day (the 10th of June) gathered a handful of blooms 
from a space 5 feet square. The blooms of those kept in the house are 
inferior to the others. The seed received of you this spring I gave the 
same treatment, with almost an entire failure; have several plants of 
each kind- We were well pleased with our former success, and expect 
to gather blooms enough this season to make powder, so that we can 
try its virtues on all kinds of insects that infest house plants. 

Kansas. Manhattan, May 2, 1883. — S. C. Wells. 

I gave away a part of the pyrethrum seed you sent me last spring, 
and planted the rest; some of them came up, but our dry winds or 
something else destroyed all but one plant. That one is now growing 
and looking well. 

Massachusetts. Franklin, June 18, 1882. — Ruth H. Smith. 

The seeds of the Pyrethrum roseum received from you early in April, 
1881, were planted according to direction. They came up, but did not 
seem to thrive well during the year. However, a few plants survived 
the severe hail-storm of July 4, and wintered well without any covering. 
They bloomed first about three weeks ago. 

Michigan. Burn side, October 22, 1883. — Michael J. Kirwven. 

According to your request I write to inform you of my success in rais- 
ing the pyrethrum. I sowed the seed in a dark, sandy loam spot in my 
garden on the 23d of May. Of the P. carneum but one plant grew; 
P. roseuni,&ve; P. cinerariwfoliuni fvom Austria,, none; P. cinerariccfoUum 
from California, about thirty-five plants grew. IS^one of them have come 
to maturity. Will the P. roseum stand the winter without protection? 

Mississippi. Oxford, April 28, 1883. — R. W. Jones. 

The pyrethrum plants, which I mentioned in my report of January 11, 
1883, are now blooming beautifully. I send you specimens of the blooms 
and leaves. They are (1) Pyrethrum roseum, (2) Pyrethrum cinerarice- 
folium. I think the only difficulty here in growing the plant is in get- 
ting it started. From my experience thus far I am led to the conclu- 
sion that in Mississippi the best time for sowing the seed is in Oc- 
tober; seeds sown in the spring do not do so well, though I succeeded 
in raising some plants from seed sown in the spring. The hot, dry sum- 
mer of this latitude is a sev^erer trial to the plants when young than 
our winters are. In the spring, too, the rains are too heavy and too 
often repeated for the young plants to thrive. It is very interesting to 
watch insects that are attracted by the brightness of the colors of P. 
roseum, as they fly to the bloom and suddenly leave. I note that some 



EXPERIMENTS IN THE GROWTH OF PYRETHRUM, 97 

small insects, of wliicli I send you specimens, and the bumblebee seem 
to use the blooms without liurt. 

[The insect mentioned is Cerotoma caminea., Fabr.] 

New York. Rochester, June 11, 1882. — M. Alden. 

The seeds of Pyrethrum roseum sent to me fifteen months ago were 
divided into two parts and planted: 1st, in a gravelly loam — these 
did not live: 2d, in a flower bed partially shaded in summer, having a 
southern exposure, and composed of leaf-mold, one-half; well-rotted cow 
manure, one-fourth; clay, one-fourth. Liberal additions of waste cof- 
fee-grounds have been thrown on this bed from time to time. The pj'- 
retbruin planted there is in fine condition, and is now in bud ; the 
plants are about IS inches high. They did not flower last summer, and 
the roots were left out all winter, i^rotected by three inches of leaves and 
manure. 

Pennsylvania. New Bloomfield, October 2, 1883.— E.W. Claitpole. 
In the spring of 1881 you sent me some seed of the Persian insect- 
plant, P. roseum. I sowed some of it and it came up well. It grew 
through the summer in a box and was left out through the winter. The 
roots being much exposed by the sides of the box were liable to be killed 
by frost. Yet it lived. I was away from home during the cold part of 
the winter, which came before Christmas, but at my return the plants 
were alive and continued so, at least some of them, until they began to 
grow in the spring, when, unfortunately, they were forgotten and ex- 
posed to a cold rain and sudden hard frost in March, which killed them 
in the growing state. In the spring of 1882 I sowed again some of the 
same seed, which I had kept over, and also some of the Dalmatian species, 
P cineraricvfolhim. Both came up well. The seed leaves of the latter 
were less spatulate than those of the former, and the later leaves came 
more freely. Altogether, the latter is the more freely growing plant. 
They flourish well through the summer, and though the winter was a 
very cold one (in Pennsylvania), yet with very little shelter (such as 
that of an open shed or an un warmed room) they survived it, and in 
the spring began to grow very early. May add that the Dalmatian 
species was evergreen, retaining its leaves all the winter. The other 
was not. In the spring I planted them in an open border, where they 
grew well and flowered, especially the Persian jflant, tlie flowers being 
crimson, magenta, and white. The other species did not bloom as freely. 
1 do not know how they will bear the winter in the ground, but the 
probability is in their favor. Judging from appearances the seed of 
neither species was matured. 
S993— Bui. 4 7 



IN DEX 



A. 



Acridiutn alutace.itn, 30. 

Adalia bipunetata, 48. 

AldfU, M.. report on Pyrethrum, 97. 

Aletia xylina, 63. 

possible northern food-plant of, 
Amphiseepabivittata on tbe cranberry, 30. 
Aualcis fragaripe, 89. 
Anchvlopera vacciniana, 10, 11. 
Description of: 
Chrysalis, 10. 
Larva, 10. 
Moth, 10. 
Duration of life. 11. 
Eggs, hatching under water. 11. 

when and where deposited, 11. 
Aphis, hop, 34. 
niali, 84: 
Apiile maggot, the, 77. 
Avme. Louis H., letter from, 93. 



B. 



Battershall, J. B., letter from, on Phylloxera, 94. 

Beardslee. H. C, letter from, 84. 

" Berry worm," the cranberry, 10. 

Branner. John C, report upon cotton, orange, and 

sugar-cane insects in Brazil, 63-69. 
Brooks, James S., report on Pyrethrum, 95. 
Brown, Dr. J. J., letter from, 77. 
Bruner, Lawrence, report by, 51-62. 



C. 



Caloptenus bivittatus. 30. 

femur-rabrum, 30. 

minor, 57, 58. 

punctulatus, 30. 

spretus, 51, 52, 54, 55, 56, 57. 

turnbuUii, 58. 
Caujuula atrox, 54, 55. 
pellucida, 54. 
Carpocapsa pomonella, 2.5. 

an interesting variety from California, 90. - 
Chilocornsbivulnerus, 48. 
Chloroform, use of, in herbariums, 77. 
Circotettix carliugianus, 59. 

nndulatus, 59. 
Cis fuscipcs in dried fungus, 77. 
Claypole, E. W.. report on Pyrethrum, 97. 
Coal oil for destroying locusts in Xew Mexico, 53. 
Coccinella 9-uotata, 48. 



Codling moth, 77. 
Colaspis brunnea, 80. 
Cooke, Matthew, letter from, 90. 
Com worm, 78. / 

Corrosive sublimate, use of, in herbariums, 77. 
Cotton, insects injuring, in Brazil, 65, 66, 67, 68. 
culture, circular in reference to, 68. 

in Pernambuco, 64. 
exports from Bahia, 67, 69. 
imports, 67. 
worm, insecticides for, 75. 

remedy, anew East Indian, 88. 
Cranberry fruit- worm : 
Classification, 28. 
Habits and natural history, 28. 
Eemedies not applicable to, 29. 
Cranberry insects, differing in Xew Jersey and on 
Cape Cod, 9. 
report on, 9. 
Cranberry moth, the glistening. (See Teras oxy- 

coccana, 23.) 
Cranberry root- worm, mode of attack , 33. 

reference to, 38. 

Cranberry span-worm: 

Description : 

Imago, 26. 

Larva, 26. 

Enemies of, 27. 

Habits and natural history of, 26, 27. 
Remedies against: 
Flowing, 27. 
Kerosene, 27. 
Pyrethrum, 27. 
Time of appearance of first brood, 26. 

second brood, 2fi. 
Cranberry tip-worm, the, 30. 

kerosene emulsion, a remedy 
against, 30. 
Cranberry vine ■worm : 
Pupation, 12. 

Recommendations in the warfare, 19. 
Remedies : 
Bisulphide of carbon, 15. 
Capturing the moths, 20. 
Carbolic acid, 17. 
Copperas, 16. 
Flowing, 12. 
Hand nets, 21. 
Kerosene, 17, 20. 
Machines, 20. 
Paris green, 16. 
Pyrethrum, 16, 20. 



100 



INDEX. 



Cranberry vine worm: 
Kcnudios: 

Tobacco, 16. 
White hellebore, U, 15. 
Time of appearance, 12. 
Cranberry worm, the red .striped. 
Description and liabit.s, 32. 
Eemcdy against, ;)?. 
Crawford. M.. letter from, 88. 
Crickets injuring tlie cranberry, 30. 
Cymatophora pampinaria. (Hce Cranberry .span- 
worm.) 

D 

Dactylopiu.s destructor on orange, 85. 

Dactylotum pictum, ,'>7. 

Dickson, James H., repoi t on I'yrethrura, 95-96. 

Diplosis tritici, 91. 

Dvnastes tityus, 78. 



Eleodr.s (juadricollis injuring grape in Califor- 
nia, 90. 

F. 

Fall web-worm. (See Spilosoma cunea.) 
' ' Fire worm," or " Vine worm," 10. 
Fislier, James B., letter from, 79. 
Fisher, John A., i-eport on Pyrethrum, 95. 
Forbes, S. A., report on Pyrethrum, 95. 
Fiauklin, Jame.s, letter from, 81, 83. 
French, H. F., letter from, on Phylloxera, 93. 
Frisbie, S. E., letter from, 77. 

G. 

Galeriica xanthoTnekfna, 90. 

Geometer, the chain-spotted, injurious to tbe 

cranl erry, 31. 
Gnathocerns cornutus, 90. 
Grape-vine colaspis, the, 79, 80. 
Grapholitha carya'ana, 25. 
Gryllus ueglectus, 30. 

H. 

Halisidota eary;p, 

description of larva, 42. 
injuring the hop vine, 42. 
Harper, Joseph A., letter from, 79-80. 
Heard, William, letters from, 90, 91. 
Hellebore a remedy against pine saw-flies. 76. 
Hemi]itera, species in cranberry bogs, 33. 
Hibiscus trionumapossiblo food-plant of Aletia, 88. 
Hickory tussock-inutli, (he, 42. 
Hippiscus lialdemanuii, 56. 
Homoptera, species in cranberry bogs, 33. 
Hop blight not produced by insects, 38. 
giub, the. (See Hydrcecia imaianis.) 
insects : 
A])his bumuli : 
Xatural enemies: 

Adalia bi])unctata, 48. 
Cliilocorus bivulneius, 48. 
Coccinelhi 9-not:ita, 48. 
Fungoid disease, 49. 
Syr))Iius tly, 49. 
Notes on hiibit.s and n:itural liistoi'y, 
42-47. 



Hop insects: 

Aphis himiuli: 

Ilemedies, when best used. 47. 
Carbidic acid, 47. 
Carbolic soaps, 48. 
Quassia, 47. 
Soluble phenyl, 48. 
Whale-oil soap, 47. 
Diabrotica 12-punctata, 50. 
Hop-vine leaf-hopper, 49, 50. 
Mode of attack, 49. 
Remedies, 50. 
Phyllotreta vittata, 50. 
Psylliodos pnnctulata. 50. 
Systena frontalis, 50. 
insects, report on, by .lolin B. Smith. 31. 
mutlle-heads, how produced. 34, 38. 
puout moth, the, 39. 
Desciiption and natural history, 39. 
Remedy against, 39. 
Horsford, F. H., letters from, 91. 
Hostetter, J. C, letters fiom, 76. 
Hydr(Bcia immanis, 34, 38. 

Description aiul natural history, 34. 
Enemies, 37. 
Calosoma calidum, 37. 
Skunk.s, 36. 
Remedies: 
Amraoniated phosphate, 37. 
Coal and wood ashes, 37. 
Destruction of larva in vine, 30 

pupa in " grubbing," 36. 
Exposure of roots, 37. 
High hilling, 37. 
Hydirecia mieacea, 38. 
oldi<iua, 39 



Insecticides : 

(See, also, remedies for cotton, cranberry, 
and hop insects.) 
"Squibb's solution." (Sec Carbolic acid.) 
Formula of, 47. 
Water proof. 74, 75. 
Advantage over others, 74. 
Formula for making, 74. 
lulus multistriatus, 89. 
Ixodes bovis, 78, 85. 

J. 

Johnson, Lawrence C, letter from, 78. 
Jones, R. W., report on Pyretbrum, 97. 

K. 

Kerosene emulsion, " Bounetheau's," 87. 

for destroying mites, 79. 

foinmla of. 20. 

how best applied, 20. 

not best to use after ceitaiu 
period, 21. 

notes of the use of certain 
forn)ula,s, 87. 

use of in destroying cran- 
berry worms, 17-20. 
Kirwven, Michael J., report on Pyrethrum, 96. 



INDEX. 



101 



Laclinosterna tristis, 79. 
Lecanium, an undesciibed species on oak, 84. 
Lockwood, Rev. Samuel, letter.s fioiu, 84, 90. 
Locust-s in Yucatan, 92. 

injuring tlie cranberry, 30. 
injuriou.sto cotton in Brazil, 65. 
migratory, in New Mexico, 53. 
"native." of Rocky Mountain region, 56- 

60. 
remedies against depredations by, 31. 
ditching, 53. 
gathering and crushing in wagon 

.sheets, ,53. 
kerosene, 31-53. 
pyrethnim, 31. 
turkeys, 31. 
special food plants of, 58, 59. 
Lophyrus. a species of, injuring pines in Arkan- 
sas, 76. 
Lucas, C, letter from, 88. 



M. 



Macrocentrus delicatus parasitic upon Teras oxy- 

coccana, 25. 
Mamestra picta, hand-picking a remedy for, 92. 

injuring pea vines, 91, 92. 
Mealy bug, the, 85. 
Melanoplus cinereus, 58. 

devastator, 58. 
Mellichamp, J. H., letter from, 84. 
Menelas, C, letter from, 80. 
Moore, Alfred H., letter from, 88. 

repoi t on Pyrethnim, 95. 
Moseley, "W. A., letter from, 76. 
Murvite solution, mode of application, 86. 

a remedy against the mealy 
bug, 86. 
Mytilaspis citricola, 71. 

destroyed by cold, 75. 
gloverii, 71. 



N. 



Xeal, Dr. J. C, letter from. 87. 
Xewlon, \r. S., letter from, 78. ' 

O, 

CEdipoda aequalis, 30. 
collaris, 30. 
eucerata, 30. 
maritima, 30. 
Orange rust mite, 85. 

taproot disease, how caused, 86. 
tree injured by Raphigaster hilaris, 81-83. 
Orgyia leuco.stigma, description, 41. 

injuring the hop. 41. 
remedies, 41. 
Oxytropis lambertii, 52. 



P. 



Papilio cresphontes destroyed by a species ot Mu. 
MutiUa, 87. 
destroy ed by ■ 'sugar ants, "87. 



Paria ateirima iujuriog strawberries, 88, 89. 

Paris gieen, 76. 

Parlatoria pergandii, 71. 

Petroleum, crude, versus kerosene and creosote, 67. 

Pezotettix albus, 58. 

borckii, 58. 

dodgei. 57. 
Phyllotreta vittata, 50. 
Phylloxera, supposed importation of 93. 
Plumer. William, letter from, 74. 
Psiuidia wallula, .59, 
Psylliodes punctulata, 50. 
Pyrethrum as an insecticide, 74. 

further reports on the growth ot, 95. 
on roaches, 87. 



E. 



Raphigaster hilaris injuring the orange tree, 81- 
83. 
red rust attributed to, 82. 
Riley, C. Y., on dimorphism in Teras oxycoccana, 
24. 
unity of habit in parasites, 25. 
supposed importation of Phyllox- 
era, 93. 
Robertson, "W. H., letter from, on Phylloxera, 93 
Rust mite, the orange, 85. 

S. 
Sard bee, 78. 

Sarcophaga georgina, killing animals and human 
beings, 78. 
remedies: 
calomel, 79. 
carbolic acid, 79. 
chloioform, 79. 
Saw-fly, a pine, from Arkansas, 76. 

larvae of on wheat heads, 76, 77. 
Scardia cloacella, in dried fungus, 77. 
Scale insects, report on the effects of cold upon, in 
Florida, 70. 
tables, giving results of cold arfifl- 
cially produced, 72, 73. 
Screw worm, the, 78. 
Smith, John B , report by, upon cranberry and 

hop insects, 9. 
Spilosoma cunea injuring the hop, 41. 

remedy, 41. 
Stelidota strigosa injuiing strawberries, 81. 
Stenobothrus maculipennis, 30. 

occipitalis, 58. 
Strawberry fruit-beetles, 80. 
Sugar cane, diseased, 6G. 
Syrphus fly mistaken for the parent of the hop 

grub, 34. 
Systena frontalis, 50. % 



Tachinid, a species parasitic upon Teras oxycoc 

cana, 25. 
Tansy, oil of, as an insecticide, 87. 
Tenebrio molitor, 90. 
obscurus, 90. 



102 



INDEX. 



Ter.is cinderell.a, 22. 
malivorana, 22. 
oxycoccana, 22, 24. 

Absence of, from Massachusetts, 22. 
Dimoipliisin of, 22, 24. 
Description of egg, 24. 
Larva, 24, 25. 
Moth, 23. 
Pupa, 25. 
Enemies of, 25. 
rood plants of : 

Apple, 24, 25. 
Cranberry, 24, 25. 
Whortleberry, 25. 
^Natural history, 23. 
Remedies against, 25. (See, also, 
remedies against cranberry vine 
worm, 14-22.) 
Fires, &c., 26. 
Flooding, 25. 
vacciniivorana, 22. 
Tomonotus sulphureus, 30. 
Tortris Cinderella, 24. 
malivorana, 24. 
oxycoccana, 24. 
paludana, 25. 
vacciniivorana, 24. 
Tribolium ferrugineiim, 90. 



Tussock moth, the •white-marlced. ( See Orgyia 

lencostigma.) 
Typhlodromus jiyri, 79. 



Vanessa comma : 

Description, 40. 

Larva of, injurious to the hop vine, 40. 
Remedies : 
Hand picking, 40. 
Voyle, Joseph, letters from, 75, 85, 86. 

report on eti'ects of cold on orange scale 
insects, 70-73. 

W. 

Wells, S. C, report on Pyrethrum, 96. 
Wheat, saw-fly larva injuring, 76, 77. 
Wheat midge, the, 90, 91. 



Zerene catenaria : 
Description: 

Larva, 31. 

Moth, 31. 
Remedies against, 31. 



U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, 
division of entomology. 

Bulletin No. 13. 



R E P (^ R T S 



OBSERVATIONS AND EXPERIMENTS 



THE PRACTICAL WORK OF THE DIVISION, 



MADE 



UNDER THE DIRECTION OF THE ENTOMOLOGIST. 



WASHINGTON: 

G0VERN3IENT PRINTING OFFICE. 

1887. 



S^^- s^ 



U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 

division of entomology. 

Bulletin No. 13. 



REPORTS 



OF 



OBSERVATIONS AND EXPERIMENTS 



IN 



THE PRACTICAL WORK OF THE DIVISION, 



MADE 



UNDER THE DIRECTION OF THE ENTOMOLOGIST. 



WASHINGTOI^: 

GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE. 

1887. 
17528— Xo. 13 . . ^ 



^ 



■h^- 



^ 



LETTER OF SUBMITTAL. 



Department of Agriculture, 

Division of Entomology, 

WasMngtoii, D. C, March 15, 1887. 

Sir : I have the honor to submit for publication Bulletin No. 13 of 
this Division. This Bulletin comprises such of the reports of the agents 
of the Division for the season of 1886 as were necessarily excluded from 
the Annual Eeport for lack of space. 
Eespectfully, 

C. V. EILEl, 

Entomologist. 

Hon. Jll^ORMAN J. COLMAN, 

Commissioner of Agriculture. 



CONTENTS. 



Page. 

Introduction , 7 

Report on Locusts in Texas in the Spring of 1886 9 

Fourth Report on Insects injuring Forest and Shade Trees 20 

Report on Nebraska Insects 33 

Tests with Insecticides on Garden Insects 38 

Report on Ohio Insects 48 

A record of some Experiments relating to the Eifect of the Puncture of some 

Hemipterous Insects upon Shrubs, Fruits, and Grains, 1886 54 

Notes from Missouri for the Season of 1886 59 

Apicultural Esperimeuts ^6 

5 



INTRODUCTION. 

This bulletin contains all of the reports from the Agents of the Divis- 
ion for the season of 1886 with the exception of those from Mr. Coquil- 
lett and Mr. Koebele on remedies for the Cottony Cushion-scale of 
California [Icerya purchasi Maskell), that of Mr. Webster on insects 
affecting' grains, which will be published in the Annual Report of the 
Department, and that of Mr. Ashmead on insects injurious to garden 
crops in Florida, which is reserved for the next bulletin. 

Mr. Bruner's report on locusts in Texas during the spring of 1886 is 
interesting in its local bearing and from the similarity of this outbreak 
of non-migratory or partially migratory species in the far Southwest to 
t^at in the extreme Northeast described in our Annual Report for 
1883. 

Miss Murtfeldt's notes from Missouri, Mr. Al wood's report on some 
injurious insects from Ohio, and Mr. Bruner's report on Nebraska in- 
sects are simply short accounts of the prominent injurious insects of 
this particular season in their respective localities. Dr. Packard's 
fourth report on insects injurious to forest and shade trees contains an 
account of a new and important enemy of spruce cones, and consider- 
able matter which is new and of interest both from the entomological 
and from the forestry standpoints. 

Mr. Webster's experiments upon the effect of the puncture of certain 
plant-bugs were undertaken with a view of settling the disputed ques- 
tion as to whether these punctures are poisonous. The experiments in 
the main prove such a poisonous effect, and 1 may here state, without 
going into a general discussion of the subject, that while in Columbus, 
Ohio, in May, 1886, I found the immature forms of Poecilocapsus 4:-vit- 
tatus blighting the young shoots of both Gooseberry and Currant, and 
that in this case the poisonous nature of the puncture was unmistak- 
able. The punctured shoots were without exception blasted and dis- 
torted. 

Mr. Alwood's tests with insecticides upon garden insects were under- 
taken as a continuation of those recorded in Bulletin No. 11 of the di- 
vision, and will be of interest both on account of the new locality and 
on account of several new substances experimented with. 

7 



8 

The apicultural notes from Mr. McLaiii form a portion only of his 
report for the season of 1886, and were excluded from the annual re- 
port for want of space. The portion ou bees vs. fruit is in the main an 
account of a repetition of the experiments detailed in the Annual Report 
for 1885. The results are corroboratory, but not absolutely conclusive 
of the inability of bees to injure fruit, in that the conditions were not 
varied sufiBciently and that the fruits were substantially the same kinds 

as used last year. 

C. V. E. 



EEPORT 01^ LOCUSTS IIS" TEXAS DURING THE SPRING OF 

1886.* 

By Lawrence Bruner, Special Agent. 

LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL. 

Sir : Herewith, is submitted a brief report of a trip to Washington County, Texas, 
and surrounding regions, made under your instructions for the purpose of investigat- 
ing the locust plague of that section and reporting upon the same. 

You will see from my notes and the specimens which accompany the report that the 
chief species causing the dam{j;ge is, as you supposed, not Melanoplus sitretus but M. 
differentialis or a closely allied form ; and that it can be much more easily handled 
than can the migratory locust of the Northwest. 

Immediately upon the receipt of your letter (April 16) containing the instructions, 
I arranged to leave by the first train (April 17). Arriving in Houston on the 20th 
and making all necessary preliminary arrangements. Dr. Flewellen and myself pro- 
ceeded the next morning to the seat of trouble, which was reached late in the after- 
noon of that day. 

Upon examination myriads of the young locusts were found on the plantation of 
the doctor's brother, Maj. J. P. Flewellen. These were chiefly confined to the edges 
of the fields and along the ravines where they had congregated upon the weeds. 

After spending a few days in experimenting with poisons and other agencies for 
killing them, I returned to Houston for mail containing any possible further instruc- 
tions. From here I went to Galveston, where I wrote a short communication for the 
Is^ews, giving remedies and urging co-operation in the efi'orts in destroying the plague. 
A copy of this article accompanies the report. 

* Our attention was called to the locust visitation in Washington County, Texas, 
in March of the present year by a letter received from Dr. R. T. Flewellen, of Hous- 
ton, which reads as follows : 

Washington County, Texas, 

March 22, 1886. 

Dear Sir : This and many other localities of Texas had the crop of corn and cot- 
ton destroyed by grasshoppers, and I herein send you a small paper box of eggs taken 
from the ground to-day for your examination. This locality, 4 miles south of the old 
town of Washington on the Brazos River, lost not less than 20,000 bushels of corn 
and about 2,000 bales of cotton by the ravages of the pest, and judgiug from the vast 
quantities of eggs seen to hatch, the destruction of last will be repeated this year 
unless timely aid comes to the relief of the unfortunate planter. Hence this appeal 
to you. It is hoped that you will send some expert of your department to this imme- 
diate locality to learn the habits, species, and correct classification of the insect, and 
inaugurate some means for their destruction, for if not arrested this locality is 
doomed. 



Very truly, 

Prof. C. V. Riley, 
Washington, D. C. 



R. T. FLEWELLEN. 



We accordingly had Mr. Bruner visit the region in question with instructions to 
learn what he could concerning the extent of injury, the species concerned and their 
habits, and to experiment with such remedies as would aid the planters in saving the 
crops. 



10 

After leaving Galveston I visited various localities surroundiug the immediate re- 
gion infested to ascertain the exact area over which the locusts had hatched in inju- 
rious numbers, thereby anticipating your orders of April 29, which reached me at 
Austin on the 5th of May. From Austin I returned to the plantation of Mr. Flew- 
ellen in order to ascertain how the warfare was progressing in that neighborhood, 
and what the prospects were for the production of a crop this year. Upon my arrival 
I found a decided reduction in the number of hoppers, and a correspondingly brighter 
and more hopeful feeling among the planters of the stricken area. I also learned of 
another locust that appeared to be increasing very rapidly among the forests of poet 
oak lying between the towns of Washington and Breuham. This very likely will prove 
to be an undescribed species, belonging somewhere between the genera Melatwplus 
and Acridium. 

After sperding several days in this locality, I returned to my home at West Point, 
where I arrived on the 14th of the month. 
Very respectfully, 

LAWRENCE BRUNER. 

Prof. C. V. EiLEY, 

U. S. Entomologist, JVashinffton, D. C. 

I visited the region indicated in Dr. Flewellen's letter of March 22, 
arriving there on the evening of April 21, to find that the young had 
already hatched and were then nearly or quite three weeks old. Upon 
examination but few of these were found scattered over the cultivated 
fields, while the majority of them were still confined to the weed patches 
at the outer edges in ravines, along "turn rows" and in fence corners. 
That evening, after a short consultation with the neighboring planters, 
it was decided that immediate warfare begin, as no time should be lost 
if advantage was to be taken of the position which the enemy occupied. 
Accordingly, early the following morning, a team was dispatched to town 
for poisons and other munitions of war. While some present favored 
poisoning, others opposed this mode of warfare as dangerous and im- 
practicable; but, as they could suggest no substitute, it was finally 
agreed that poisoning should be tried. This was agreed upon chiefly 
because all were supplied with the apparatus necessary for its applica- 
tion, and were accustomed to its use in fightiug the Cotton Worm {Aletia 
xylina). I also proposed the use of coal tar and kerosene pans, and 
ordered the material for the .construction of a trial machine. The fol- 
lowing morning we started out over the plantation of Major Flewellen 
on a tour of inspection, only to find the majority of the eggs already 
hatched^and the young locusts in their second and third stages. After 
digging for several hours and finding but a couple of uuhatched eggs 
and no egg parasites, it was decided to devote the future to the destruc- 
tion of the larvse before they began spreading over the crops, notwith- 
standing the fact that you wished me especially to devote much of my 
time in digging for egg parasites. 

By careful inquiry from old citizens I learned that ever since the war- 
times grasshoppers have occasionally appeared in unusual numbers at 
isolated localities throughout portions of Central Texas, and especially 
in the immediate neighborhood at present overrun. When this was 



11 

the case, crops invariably suffered to a lesser or greater extent from 
their depreciations. These visitations were so limited in extent and 
inconspicuous in their nature that but little attention was paid them 
at the time. There were other insect enemies that were attracting no- 
tice aud required the attention of the planters, whose chief crop had 
been cotton. The Cotton Worm (Aletia xylina) had so increased in 
numbers as almost to render the growing of cotton an impossibility; 
but, owing to the perseverance of those interested, that insect has at 
last been reduced to such an extent as to be under control. Until 
within the past three years these grasshopper or locust depredations 
escaped popular notice (save during the visitation in the Fall of 1876 
of the migratory species). Since this time, however, their increasing 
numbers aud frequent damage to crops have been too great to be over- 
looked even by the most unobserving. They have appeared at widely 
separated localities, and although not committing general injury are 
known to have eaten away several of the outside rows of cotton and 
corn in fields bordering waste lands aud ravines grown up with weeds 
and other rank vegetation. Not until last year, however, did the plague 
reach such a magnitude as to cause alarm ; and this only after the 
total destruction of crops upon plantations situated in different locali- 
ties and in adjoining counties. 

Referring to notes taken while in the field, I find the following re- 
marks : "There appear to be several species of the locusts which are 
causing the trouble here, and all seem to have had similar egg-laying 
habits. In looking about I find the larvfe of Melmioplus differentiaUs 
or M. robustus, M. angustipennis, M. atlanis, and Acridium frontalis. The 
last three species are in about equal numbers, while those of the first 
are by far the most numerous, aud this is the only one which is charged 
with last year's depredations. I am not quite positive whether the large 
species is M. differentiaUs or 31. robustus, as these two species are very 
nearly related, aud I have never seen authentic larva; of the latter. 
To-day (April 23) I found an old specimen of a male robustus, and was 
assured that it was one of the genuine offenders, while yesterday the 
femora of differentiaUs were pointed out to me as having belonged to 
'the very kind'." 

During my sojourn in the infested region I observed M. atlanis, fully 
fledged, quite frequently, while walking about the fields, while others, 
with those of M. angustipennis, were still in the pupal stage. These 
latter, with those of Acridium frontalis, were exceedingly common, and 
together nearly or quite equaled in number those of the larger species. 
These three, while not always mingled with the former, were generally 
to be found with them ; especially was this the case upon rather damp 
ground at the edges of ravines and grass patches, and also in fields of 
small grain. 

While the Eocky Mountain or Migratory Locust prefers rather solid 
soil upon somewhat elevated open fields and closely grazed pastures for 



12 

depositing its eggs, all of these species now infesting Central Texas ap- 
pear to find more suitable conditions among rank herbage for the dep- 
osition of their eggs and subsequent development of the young larvae. 
The large species especially finds the protected roots of grasses and 
corn best adapted to the sheltering of its eggs, and almost invariably 
selects the varieties which grow in clumps for this purpose. In digging 
I have found as many as 8 or 10 egg-pods inserted among the root-stalks 
of a single clump of grass. Possibly the sheltered nature of these eggs 
protects them from the numerous parasites which attack those of the 
Migratory and other species which deposit in the unprotected ground. 
It is asserted by different persons in this region that the present species 
lays an average of 150 eggs to the pod, which, judging from the frag- 
ments of eggshells found by digging, is nearly correct; at any rate the 
estimate is not too high. Egg-depositing with this species commences 
rather later than with some of the other representatives of the genus, 
but just at what date I did not learn. There is but a single pod formed 
by an insect, the entire complement of eggs being deposited at once. 

The larvf© commence hatching during the latter part of March and 
continue to appear up to the middle of April, according to the forward- 
ness or backwardness of the season. Wet warm weather favors the 
hatching, while dry weather rather retards the process. The young 
molt five times, at intervals of from 12 to 20 days, according to the con- 
dition of the weather. Dry weather with hot days retards, while damp 
or wet weather favors this process among insects by keeping the exu- 
viae pliable during molting, as well as in furnishing the necessary moist- 
ure required in growth. The winged or mature insects appear about 
the middle of July or a little earlier and begin to couple soon afterward, 
thus completing the cycle. 

Their mode of attack does not differ greatly from that of M. spretus, 
save in that the latter begin upon the crops immediately after hatching, 
while these species do not. Thej^ wait until they are from three to four 
weeks old before venturing far from the places of hatching. Like that 
species they have the habit of huddling together upon plants and among 
grasses and debris during cool nights and on cloudy days. This appears 
to be a trait common to all insects when present in large numbers, and 
must be the result of some special instinct. When about half-grown the 
larvae become pretty well scattered over the fields and do not hop back 
to the weed patches on the outskirts in the evening, as they do while 
younger and when first beginning their attacks upon the crops. The 
molting is the same as with other locusts, and need not here be rede- 
scribed. The grown hoppers do not migrate by flight, but do sometimes 
move in concert in certain directions by jumping. This can hardly be 
termed migration, since the change of location is merely performed for 
the purpose of obtaining food, while the act of migrating is towards ob- 
taining more decided results. When feeding they can be driven like 
other locusts, and this trait in their nature has been taken advantage 



13 

of at different times and by many of the planters as a means of partial 
protection to the crops. 

It is sometimes quite a difficult matter to account for the rapid in- 
crease of certain insects during a series of seasons that for years before 
have scarcely appeared in numbers sufficient to be noticed. However 
true this assertion may be, I think the rapid increase in the present in- 
stance can be readily accounted for, and has its direct causes partly iu 
the negligence of the planters over the area now suffering and partly 
through other and indirect but favoring circumstances. It has already 
been ascertained that all of the species which are combining in the 
present injury are partial to rank vegetation, and find the most favor- 
able conditions for their egg-laying and subsequent development in the 
waste land at the borders of cultivated fields, in ravines which run 
through cultivated ground, and in neglected grounds which were at one 
time under the plow. Everywhere in this locust area do we find great 
neglect in this respect. There are not only large fields lying idle which 
were once cultivated in cotton, but also wide borders adjacent to ra- 
vines and gullies which have been permitted to grow up in bunch 
grasses and weeds. Each of these features is of too common recurrence, 
thus giving this and other insects of like nature ample harbor and room 
for multiplication year after year. This is the prime cause, but from 
inquiry it cannot be disputed that there are several other agencies 
which have aided in bringing about the present state of affairs. These 
are, primarily, the comparative scarcity of insectivorous birds, and sec- 
ondarily' the comparatively dry summers for the past three years. 
While the bird question cannot easily be remedied at once, or the sea- 
sons changed so as not to favor the increasing hoppers, there can be a 
great deal accomplished by clearing up these waste places and putting 
them once more under the plow. The dry seasons have aided the in- 
crease of the locusts by diminishing their natural enemies. These are 
chiefly soft-bodied insects, very delicate in structure, that are dependent 
to a much greater extent than the locust is on moisture for their de- 
velopment and subsequent career. It stands to reason, therefore, that 
dry seasons, while not materially affecting the more hardy nature of 
the locusts, are very injurious, if not altogether fatal, to insects whose 
organs are so delicate as are most of these parasitic forms. 

Up to the present season but little or nothing has been done by the 
planters to protect their crops from the ravages of these locusts or 
towards diminishing their numbers. True, some of them tried to save 
their crops by driving the locusts off after they were fully matured and 
could fly. While this remedy will sometimes save a portion of a crop, 
it is only transient in its result, and must be repeated each day several 
times. It is also a remedy that works better with the migratory spe- 
cies than with the non-migratory forms that seldom fly more than a 
few yards at a time. To save crops from locust ravages the main ob- 
ject to be kept in view is, or rather should be, the destruction of the^ 



14 

pest, and not merely a transient removal of it. If the insects are merely- 
kept agitated while in the fields this does not prevent them from pro- 
<;eeding to the outskirts and depositing their eggs in the waste places 
heretofore mentioned, and thereby rendering the production of crops the 
ensuing year equally uncertain, and even, with favoring conditions, ten- 
fold more so. 

When I first visited the region infested, I learned of some efforts at 
poisoning the larva) with arsenic and Paris green. These had been 
tried merely as experiments, and thus far had proved but partially suc- 
cessful. The poisons in every instance had been applied in too large 
quantities for the mixtures used, and resulted in the killing"of the vege- 
tation over which they had been distributed. Where this was the 
case, the hoppers escaped with little injury. These mineral poisons only 
take effect when takeu internally with the food, and when the vegeta- 
tion has been killed the young locusts will not eat it, but hop away to seek 
that which is fresh. Finding this to be the case, a series of experiments 
was instituted in order to ascertain just what proportions of the poisons 
were necessary in order to obtain the best results and not to kill the 
vegetation. By inquiry it was learned that of the arsenic the follow- 
ing solution had been used : to one barrrel (47.9 gallons) of water in 
which two quarts of molasses had been stirred, 12 ounces of the poison 
were added. The latter had first been boiled in a little water, with a 
pound or more of carbonate of soda, for about an hour in order to dissolve 
it. We therefore decided that the future experiments should be made 
with less poison to the barrel of water, and accordingly a half pound 
was substituted. This mixture also proved too strong for the vegeta- 
tion. After continued experiments it was finally decided that from 4 
to 5 ounces of the poison to the barrel of water gave by far the best 
results, and did not injure the vegetation unless put on too thickly or 
in too coarse a spray. Bright sunshine during spraying appeared to 
render the poison more injurious to the vegetation. A second spraying 
over the same grounds also had the same effect as the stronger mixtures. 
Light rains did not materially diminish the efiScacy of the poisoning. 
The results of arseuious poisoning are not immediate upon the hoppers, 
but first show after about twenty-four hours, and prove fatal in about 
thirty-six to forty hours. When the first examination was made after 
the application (twenty-four hours afterwards) it was found that most 
of the larvre bad left the weeds and were found creeping and jumping 
about in a rather sluggish manner upon the ground underneath. JS'o 
dead ones were to be found at this time. In examining the same local- 
ity a day later, a great many dead were found, also many others that 
were very sluggish, while but few really active ones were to be found. 
On the morning of the third day I counted upon 1 square foot of sur- 
face between fifty and sixty dead, and a few others were present that 
must certainly have followed before the expiration of another twenty- 
four hours. 



15 

This poisou is best applied with a rather powerful force-pump, using 
ii very fiue spray, otherwise the vegetation will blister and much of 
the fluid be wasted by falling upon the ground. The liner the spray 
the more evenly the poisou can be distributed, and hence a correspond- 
ingly better result will ensue. Where comparatively large areas are to 
be poisoned the best plan is to have two or more barrels, or, what is 
better still, a tank holding a hundred or more gallons of the poisoned 
water, mounted upon a wagon and drawn through the field with a team 
of horses or oxen. Always poisou by goiug against the wind instead of 
with it, otherwise there is danger of poisoning both the team and the 
persons operating the pump. It should also be remembered that a 
muzzled beast is less liable to eat the poisoned vegetation than one 
without a muzzle. Again, i)oisouing should be done only upon such 
grounds as are never grazed, or over which stock is not permitted to 
run. Poisoning can only be done with safety in regions where fields 
are fenced, and upon such vegetation as will not afterwards be used as 
food for animals or man. Wliile rains may wash off most of the poison 
from weeds, they Tiever can do this from grasses and grains where the 
blades are fastened to the stem in such a manner as to catch all the 
rain which falls upon them and carry it to the body of the plant. 

Paris green is used diluted with wheat flour or wood ashes, and ap- 
plied by dusting it upon the vegetation by means of a flue meal-sieve. 
The proportions giving the best results as stated to me were 12 ounces 
of the green to about 20 pounds of flour. Some add one pound of very 
finely -powdered resin, which they claim acts as a sort of glue, causing 
the material to adhere to the vegetation. Great caution is also neces- 
sary in using this poison, both in its application and afterward in 
keeping stock away from the vegetation to which it has been applied. 
The best time for applying this remedy is in the morning while the dew 
is still on the vegetation and before the wind arises. While a few of 
the planters in the vicinity of Washington and ISTavasota seemed to 
think this remedy superior to the arsenic, I did not find it so ui)on 
Mr. Flewellen's plantation, where it was tested several times. Where- 
ever used, it is true, the hojipers disappeared, but an examination re- 
vealed but few dead ones upon the ground. My opinion is that they 
onl.y moved to other localities where the poison was not put. Tins I am 
pretty certain of, for frequently large numbers of the larvai were ob- 
served adjacent to such localities one day where there had been none 
the day before. Vegetation also suffered from the efl'ect of the poison. 

In using poisons I would recommend the spray rather than the dry 
application. The sirup or molasses adds to the efiicac^" of this latter 
by enticing the hoppers to eat, since they are exceedingly fond of 
sweets. Poisoning is undoubtedly a good remedy against locusts and 
other injurious insects in countries where every field is fenced and 
where no stock is permitted to roam about. Where there are no fences, 
however, and stock roams at will over fields and along roadsides, its use 



16 

is out of the question. There are also numerous instances in fenced dis- 
tricts where its use is impracticable and out of the question ; as, for ex- 
ample, in pastures and grain-fields as well as in the garden. In these 
latter instances, therefore, it is necessary that other remedies be adopted. 
I therefore suggested the use of the coal-tar and kerosene pans and the 
various other machines and contrivances wliich have been used with 
success in other locust districts in times past. As a sample and illus- 
tration of their use I had one of these constructed, and had the satis- 
faction of seeing it adopted by almost every planter in the immediate 
neighborhood, as well as by others throughout the region afflicted. 
While this latter remedy or contrivance did not meet the approval of 
some of the larger planters, it was very popular with the colored pop- 
ulation, who are exceedingly superstitious concerning the use of poisons 
of all kinds. It was also quickly adopted by persons of limited means, 
or where the locusts were confined to small patches and could be readily 
destroyed in a few days with a small machine dragged over the ground 
by hand. 

In addition to the foregoing remedies one gentleman told me of a 
plan he had adopted for destroying the hoppers upon his place. It 
was about as follows : Having noticed that a certain piece of neglected 
ground had been largely used by the locusts last fall for depositing 
their eggs, he decided to plow it up this spring and, if possible, prevent 
them from hatching. When plowing began it was found that most of 
the eggs were thrust among the roots of large grass clumps. He there- 
fore mustered all hands together and set them to gathering these clumps 
of grass and hauling them into piles which were afterwards set on fire 
and burned, thus destroying the locust eggs which they contained. 
jSTo less than nine wagon loads of the grass clumps were thus gathered 
and burned, and this evidently did much good. Others who have recog- 
nized the insectivorous nature of fowls, and especially of the guinea- 
hen and turkey, have begun rearing these in large numbers. I also 
suggest to the planters in general that they protect the quails and quit 
shooting them for several years, since they, too, are of great aid as 
insect destroyers. 

At this time locusts are present in damaging numbers in the follow- 
ing counties as nearly as I could ascertain by inquiry and travel : Wash- 
ington, Burleson, Lee, Fayette, Austin, Grimes and Waller, and of 
these only Washington, Austin, Grimes and Waller have reported the 
loss of crops during last year from their ravages. This section lies just 
between the two "cross timbers" of east Central Texas and borders the 
prairie country. Judging from the timbered nature of this portion of 
the State, the climate as a rule must be rather more humid than it has 
been during the past few years, and consequently cannot always be 
overrun by locusts, if, as we understand it, aridity is favorable to the 
rapid increase of these insects. With the present warfare against them, 
if continued during the spring and summer into the fall, there certainly 



17 

cannot be much danger of future depredations from locusts. Still I 
would suggest to the inhabitants of this and adjoining regions to keep 
on the alert, and wherever and whenever threatened to waste no time 
but to try and control them at once. 

Although the loss of crops has been limited to comparatively small 
areas throughout these counties, nevertheless the damages sustained 
will aggregate more than might be imagined. As an example, we need 
only quote a few lines from Dr. Flewellen's letter where he writes : 
*'This locality, 4 miles south of the old town of Washington on the 
Brazos Kiver, lost not less than 20,000 bushels of corn and 2,000 bales 
of cotton by the ravages of the pest." When we add to this the losses 
sustained at other localities throughout these counties, and also those 
on other crops, we have before us quite formidable figures. 

In closing my report, it might be thought proper for me to give my 
opinion as to the possible results of this summer's brood of hoppers. 
This can be done in very few words. Possibly in addition to a few out- 
side rows, a few fields of cotton and corn will be taken in places where 
the weed patches were destroyed prematurely, thereby scattering the 
larvue over the fields while the crops were still very small and tender. 
This I know to have occurred in several instances where it was thought 
that by destroying the weeds the little hoppers would also perish. 
Aside from this there need be but few complete failures on account of 
locust depredations. 

THE POST OAK LOCUST OF WASHINGTON COUNTY, TEXAS. 

In addition to the several species of locust that have been mentioned 
in the preceding pages, last summer for the first time another species 
of locust was noticed in vast numbers among the post oak timber lying 
between the towns of Washington and Brenham, in Washington county. 
These were so numerous in one locality that they completely defoliated 
the trees of the forest, even to the very topmost twigs. The region occu- 
pied by this insect, although not over a mile and a half in width by 7 or 
8 miles in length, is sufficiently large for the propagation of swarms ca- 
pable of devastating a much larger area during the present spring and 
summer, and by another year to spread' over several of the adjoining 
counties. 

Although there is at present no apparent injury to the trees thus de- 
foliated last year, and now in progress again this year, there can be no 
question as to the final result if these attacks are continued for several 
years longer. The trees will eventually die. While up to the present 
time this locust has shown a decided arboreal habit, it may, and un- 
doubtedly will be, obliged to seek food in the adjoining fields when com- 
pelled to do so through lack of its present diet, which is rapidly disap- 
pearing before the hungry mj'riads of young locusts. 

Notwithstanding the great numbers of the foregoing described species 
which together have combined in injuring the cotton and corn crops 
17528— No. 13 2 



18 

througbout this and adjoining counties, it is my opinion that the present 
species is more to be feared in the future than they, on account of its 
arboreal nature and the difficulty of getting at it in order to destroy it. 
To kill these locusts either while feeding among the foliage or " roost- 
iug" upon the topmost boughs of the tall trees would be next to impos- 
sible. On the other hand, the other species are easily to be gotten at 
and destroyed, as just shown. 

The habits of this locust, as nearly as I was able to learn through 
inquiry from others, and by personal observation, are briefly as fol- 
lows: 

The egg-pods are deposited in the ground about the bases of trees or 
indifferently scattered about the surface among the decaying leaves, 
&c., like those of all other ground-laying species. The young commence 
hatching about the middle of March and continue to appear until into 
April. After molting the first time and becoming a little hardened 
they immediately climb up the trunks of the trees and bushes of all 
kinds and commence feeding upon the new and tender foliage. They 
molt at least five or six times, if we may take the variation in size and 
difterence in the development of the rudiments of wings as a criterion. 
The imago or mature stage is reached by the last of May or during the 
first part of June. 

The species is very active and shy in all its stages of growth after 
leaving the egg. The larva and pupa run up the trunks and along the 
limbs of trees with considerable speed, and in this respect differ con- 
siderably from all other species of locusts with which I am acquainted. 
I am informed that the mature insects are also equally wild and fly like 
birds. They feed both by day and night; and I am told by those who 
have passed through the woods after night when all else was quiet, 
that the noise produced by the grinding of their jaws was not unlike 
the greeciy feeding of swine. 

Aside from its arboreal nature there is but a single instance men- 
tioned of its preference to growing crops. This was a small field of 
either cotton or corn, or perhaps both. If the nature of the crop was 
told me at the time I have forgotten. At any rate the croj) of one or 
the other of these two staples grew in a small clearing in the very midst 
of the most thickly visited area. The mature insects alone were the 
offenders in this instance. During the day-time they would leave the 
trees in swarms and alight upon the growing crop and feed until even 
ing, when they would return to the trees. If, during the day, they were 
disturbed, they immediately took wing and left for the tops of the sur- 
rounding trees to return shortly afterward. 

The exact classification of this locust has not yet been fully ascer- 
tained, since no mature specimens were to be obtained, or, to my knowl- 
edge, are contained in any of our American collections. The larv?e and 
l)up{e collected, however, would indicate a relationship to both the gen- 
era Melanoplus and Acridkim. It appears to be congeneric with an 



19 

nndescribed short-winged form, thus far only taken in Missouri, which 
lives among and feeds upon the oaks only of that region. The present 
species is also evidently nndescribed, unless the mature insect should 
differ widely from the preparatory stages herewith presented. It is 
popularly known in that region as the "Red-legged hopper" of the post 
oaks. 

The larva? and pupae are of rather bright color, giving them a gaudy 
appearance. The ground color of the body is dark wood brown deep- 
ening into black along the sides of the pronotum and the apex of the 
posterior femora. The head for the most part is of a bright lemon yel- 
low, while the pronotum is of the same, varied by streaks and blotches 
of the brown. The antennie and posterior femora are red internally, 
dimly banded with yellow and brown on the external face, through 
which the red color of the inner side can be plainly seen. The feet and 
tarsi are also dark. The pupae average almost an inch in length and 
are rather robust in form, with short, broad heads and powerful jaws 



FOUETH EEPORT ON INSECTS INJURIOUS TO FOREST AND 

SHADE TREES. 

By Dr. A. S. Packard, Special Agent. 

LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL. 

Providence, Novemher 1, 1886. 
Sir : I herewith submit my report on insects injurious to forest trees, based on ob- 
servations made during the past season in Ehode Island, Maine, and New Hampshire. 
This report contains observations on the Spruce Bud-worm, a new enemy to that tree, 
with notes on other forest insects. Other notes on incomplete larval histories do not 
necessarily appear until they have been completed. 
Respectfully yours, 

A. S. PACKARD. 
Prof. C. V. Riley, 

U. S. Entomologist. 

THE SPRUCE AND HACKMATACK WORMS IN 1886. 

During the past season, as in 1885, no traces of the caterpillar or moth 
of Tortriw f unit fer ana, formerly so destructive to Firs and Spruces, were 
discovered. The moths must be now as rare as before 1878. Great 
progress has also been made by the younger growth of these conifer- 
ous trees in repairing the desolation caused by the attacks of this worm. 

The Larch Saw-fly was, on the other hand, found to be still not un- 
common. It was observed July 1 at Brunswick, Me., locally, the worm 
having freshly hatched upon a few trees, but it did not do any more 
harm than the previous year. 

During the early part of September, however, it was observed in 
abundance along the Cherry Mountain road from Fabyan's to Jefferson, 
N. H., a few miles north of the White Mountain house. The Larche s 
had been ravaged rather severely and many of the worms were still 
lingering on the branches, feeding upon the leaves ; while many young 
trees bad been stripped, wholly or in part, of their leaves. Some dead 
Larches were also to be seen. 

We call attention below to a Phycid caterpillar which was observed 
in Maine preying upon the young cones of the Spruce, no lej)idopterous 
insect with similar habits having before been observed. 

We have also given more attention than forme rly to the insects infest- 
ing the Willow and Alder, as these trees are the prol ific source of many 
species which spread from them to other forest as well as to ornamental 

20 



21 

nnd shade trees. While the Willow has until recently beeu useful as a 
shade tree, when standing by the horse-trough or by the well, an occasional 
Weeping Willow being seen in towns, a new value is attached to the tree 
for the salicylic acid extracted from it, and in the Southern States there 
have already been established extensive plantations of willows, the 
twigs and branches being cut and gathered for the extraction and man- 
ufacture of this valuable remedy. 

The number of species of insects affecting the Willow in Europe is 
said by Kaltenbach* to amount to three hundred and ninety-six ; of 
these ninety-four are beetles and two hundred and fifteen moths and 
butterflies ; while the European Alder supports one hundred and nine- 
teen species of insects of different groups. 

THE SPRUCE CONE-WORM. 
{Pinipestis reniculella Grote.) 

This is the first occurrence, so far as we know, of a caterpillar prey 
ing ui)on the terminal fresh young cones of the Spruce. We have pre- 
viously t called attention to the Spruce Bud-louse [Adelges ahieticoJens) 
which deforms the terminal shoots of the Spruce, producing large swell- 
ings which would be readily mistaken for the cones of the same tree. 
Another species of Bud-louse {Adelges ahietis Linn.), which appears to be 
the same as the European insect of that name, we observed several 
years since (August, 1881) in considerable numbers on the Norway 
Spruces on the grounds of the Peabody Academy of Sciences at Salem. 

The species of caterpillar in question was observed, August 24, in 
considerable numbers on a young Spruce 10 to 20 feet in height at Mere- 
point on Casco Bay, Maine. The cones on the terminal shoot as well 
as the lateral upper branches, which when healthy and unaffected were 
purplish-green and about 1^ inches long, were for the most part mined by 
a rather large Phycid caterpillar. The worm was of the usual shape 
and color, especially resembling a Phycid caterpillar not uncommon in 
certain seasons on the twigs of the Pitch Pine, on which it produces 
large unsightly masses of castings within which the worms hide. 

The Spruce Cone-worm is usually confined to the 
young cones, into which it bores and mines in different 
directions, eating galleries passing partly around the in- 
terior, separating the scales from the axis of the cones 
(Fig. 1). After mining one cone the caterpillar passes 
intoau adjoining one, spinning a rude silken passage 
connecting the two cones. Sometimes a bunch of three 
or four cones are tied together with silken strands; 
while the castings or excrement thrown out of the holes 
form a large, conspicuous light mass, sometimes half as pjfrced^c^^e\°oft 
large as one's fist, out of which the tips of the cones are ^^^^'■ 

* Die Pflauzoufeiude aus der Klasse der Insekteu, 1874. 
t Guide to the Study of Insects, p. 523, aud Bulletiu 7, U. S. Eat. Comm., p. 234. 




22 



seen to project (Fig. 2). Besides these uasightly masses of castings, 
tbe presence of the caterpillars causes an exudation of pitch, which 

clings in large drops or tears to the 
outside of the adjacent more or less 
healthy cones. Where much affected 
the young cones turn brown and sere. 
The same worms had also attacked 
the terminal branches and twigs of 
the same tree, eating off the leaves 
and leaving a mass of excrement on 
one side of tlte twig, within which 
they had spun a silken gallery in 
which the worm lived. 

On removing the bunches of dis- 
eased cones to Providence, one cater- 
pillar transformed in a warm cham- 
ber into a moth, which appeared the 
end of October ; its metamorphosis 
was probably accelerated by the un- 
usually warm autumnal weather. All 
the others had by th^ 1st of Novem- 
ber spun within the mass of castings 
a loose, thin, but firm, oval cocoon, 
about half an inch long and a quar- 
ter inch wide, but the larvte had not 
yet begun to change to chrysalids. 
Whether in a state of nature they 
winter over in the larval state within their cocoons, or, as is more 
likely, change to pupiB in the autumn, appearing as moths by the end 
of spring, remains to be seen. 

The chrysalis is of the usual Phycid appearance, rather slender, but 
with the abdominal ti]) blunt, with no well-marked cremaster or spine, 
though ending in the usual six curv^ed stiff bristles, by means of which 
it hooks onto the walls of its cocoon, thus maintaining itself in its nat- 
ural position. 

I ojily found one tree next to the house thus affected 
by this worm. It is i)robable that in a dense spruce 
growth the trees would be less exposed to the attacks of 
what may prove a serious enemy of shade spruces. The 
obvious remedy is, to burn the affected cones and mass 
of castings late in summer. 

Descriptive.— Zarna. (Fig. 3.)- Of the usual Phycid form; the 
head and pro thoracic shield deep amber- browu ; the body reddish 
carneous or aiuber-brovvu, with a livid hue; a faiut, dark, doraal, 
and a broader, subdorsal line; piliferous warts distinct; each 
Begment divided into a longer anterior and shorter, narrower, pos- Fig. 3.— Spruce 
terior section, bearing two dorsal piliferous warts, besides a lateral i^r^ecT oriSnal) " " 
one. Lensrth 16""". 




Fig. 2. — Mass of infested cones (original). 





23 

Pupa. — Of tlie usual Phycid appearance; rather slender, the abdominal tip blunt, 
with six long slender up-curved bristles. Length 9"™. 

Moth. (Fig. 4.) — 1 male. Fore-wings long and narrow, stone-gray, with no reddish 
or brownish tints. Head, palpi, and body dark gray with white scales intermixed. 
Fore-wings dark and light gray ; a broad basal 
light pitch ; before the middle of the wing a white 
zigzag line composed of a costal and median scal- 
lop. A square whitish distal patch, and half way 
between it and the outer margin is a narrow white 
zigzag line inclosed on each side by a dark border, 
the line being deeply angulated three times. Edge 
of the wing next to the base of the fringe deep 
black, interrupted by narrow pale gray spots- (eI/a%eVorigSaS ^P™^^ ^'^^«"^*'™ 
Fringe dusky, with fine white scales. Legs 

banded with black and gray. Hind wings pale gray. Expanse of wings 22™"^; 
length of body 10™i". (Identified by Prof. C. H. Fernald.) 

THE GREEN-STRLPED PHYCID WORM. 

{Meroptera pravella Gr.) 

This a common insect oa the Willow, occurring at Brunswick, Me., 
August *?0, and through the month. It spins a web on the under side 
of the leaf, and pupates from the 15th to 20th of September, the moth 
in confinement appearing (in the breeding cage at Providence) the end 
of May (the 25th-31st). The caterpillar, which is longitudinally strii^ed 
■with light and dark green with black slashes on each side of the head, 
varies somewhat; in some there are only four slashes on the head, with 
no other markings. Tbe moth differs from Phycis rubrifasciella on the 
Hickory in having no cross-band of raised scales, while the insect is 
much darker, and the palpi are twice as broad. 

Descriptive. — irtri'a.^Body of the usual form, tapering from near the head to the 
€nd. Head of the usual size, not quite so broad as the prothoracic segment ; green, 
slashed vertically and mottled with large and small brown or jet-black spots. Pro- 
thoracic segment a lirtle swollen ; the shield not striped like the rest of the body. 
Body with narrow alternating light and dark green stripes ; brown along the back, 
and inclosing a large round green spot on each segment ; the brown portion with 
three interrupted green lines, one median and two lateral. Piliferous dots minute, 
not conspicuous. Length, 15™™. 

Pupa. — Of the usual Phycid shape ; mahogany-brown; end of the terminal abdom- 
inal spine smooth, shining, convex, and ending in a stout curved lateral spine on 
each side. Length 10'"™. 

Moth. — Body and fore wings dark gray, with brick-red scales and bands. Palpi very 
broad, especially the second joint ; dark gray ; vertex of head light gray, with dark 
scales; antennae blackish. Prothoracic scales and shoulder tijipets (patagia) dull 
brick-red ; middle (disk) of thorax gray. Fore wings dark, dusky gray, with scattered 
pale gray scales ; base of wings dull brick-red ; a broad, diffuse band of the same color 
crosses the basal fourth of the wing ; on the outer fourth of the wings is a similar 
broad, dift'use, dull brick-red band, sending a diffuse longitudinal stripe towards the 
basal band ; an incomplete transverse pale gray line, curved outward in the middle 
of the wing, borders the inside of the outer reddish band. Costal edge dusky, the 
reddish bands not reaching it. Fringe of the same dull shite-color as the hind wings. 
Expanse of wings, 20™™. (Identified by Prof. C. H. Fernald.) 



24 

THE ALDER FLEA-BEETLE. 

{Haltica alni Harris.) 

In the correspondence of the late Dr. Harris the following mention is 
made of this beetle : " In traveling from Centre Harbor, N. H., to Con- 
way, on the 2d of August, 1854, and from Conway to Upper Bartlett, 
and subsequently to Jackson, we saw the Alders {Alnus serridata) every- 
where ravaged by insects which had destroyed their leaves in the man- 
ner of canker worms. Upon examination the spoilers were found not 
to be all dispersed and several were seen upon the leaves still continu- 
ing their work ; at the same time were found in Conway numerous 
beetles, which proved to be a species of Haltica, eating the leaves off 
the same Alders. The larvae which had ravaged the shrubs were doubt- 
less those of the Haltica before named." 

We have reared the beetles from the grubs during the past season. 
At Merepoint, near Brunswick, Me., during the middle of August^ 
1886, we noticed clumps of Alders standing in dry soil partly defoliated 
or with skeletonized, brown or blackish leaves, on which, as well as 
the still remaining green leaves, were black grubs, sometimes seven or 
eight on a leaf. All the alders in the region were not molested, the 
grubs occurring locally. August 15 we found a single beetle, on 
placing a number of leaves with the grubs in a tin box. We found a 
white pupa lying loosely on the bottom of the box August 20 ; soon 
more pupoe a])peared, and the beetles began to appear in considerable 
numbers the last week of August. It is evident that in nature the 
larva falls to the ground to transform, the pupte entering the earth. 

Afterwards, September 10, we found whole clumps of Alders at the 
base of Iron Mountain, Jackson, IST. H., stripped by the grubs, neany all 
the riddled, brown, dead leaves having fallen off and thickly covering 
the ground under the bushes. Such a wholesale devastation of Alders 
we never witnessed. By this time the beetles had become very abun- 
dant, and were apparently feeding on the few leaves still attached to 
the tree. The Alder is the source of some of our destructive forest and 
fruit insects, and should this grub ever spread to other food trees it 
will be very annoying, though it can be subdued by proper spraying. 
There seems to be a periodicity in the appearance of this beetle in 
unusual numbers, Harris having seen the same grubs in great abun- 
dance in 1854 in the same region. We have never observed it so com- 
mon and destructive before in Maine. It is most probable that the 
beetles hibernate under the leaves and, soon after the leaves expand 
in May, lay their eggs in masses on them, the grubs scarcely stirring 
from the leaf on which they are born, until ready to pupate. The 
grubs are probably distasteful to birds, otherwise they would fall an 
easy prey to them and be kept within due limits. 

Descriptive. — Larva. — Body somewhat flattened ; bead scarcely two-thirds as 
wide as the body in the middle; black, becominoj brown in front near the jaws. 
Body livid brown above ; the tubercles black ; paler beneath ; with three pairs of 



25 

black jointed thoracic legs; uo abdominal legs, but an anal prop-leg. The abdom- 
inal segments each with a traverse, oval-rounded, ventral, rough space forming a se- 
ries of creeping tubercles ; and in front on each segment is a transverse, oval, crescentic 
chitinous area bearing two piliferous tubercles ; the back of each segment divided 
into two ridges, each bearing a row of six sharp tubercles, bearing short hairs; a 
single ventral row on each side of the ventral plate. Length, 7-10™™. 

Pupa.— Body rather thick, white. Anteunie passing around the bent knees (feraero- 
tibial joints) of the first and second pair of legs, the end scarcely going beyond the 
middle of the body. Elytra with five or six rather deep longitudinal creases. The 
salient points of the body armed with piliferous warts. Abdominal tip square at the 
end, with a stout black spine jlrojecting from each side. Length, 6™™. 

Beetle.— UnifoTmlj deep prussian blue, with greenish reflections on the head. An- 
tennal flagellum with fine whitish pubescence ; tibiae clothed with tawny hairs. 
Length, 5-6™". 

THE ALDER LEAF-ROLLER. 

{Gelechia oronella Walsingham.) 

While the leaves of the Alder are variously folded aud rolled, per- 
haps the most striking leaf- roller is the above species, which occurred 
in Maine late in the summer, in August and the early part of Septem- 
ber. 

The little worm is amber colored, the body rather thick and cylindri- 
cal, but with no distinctive markings. One was observed which had 
sewed a portion of the edge of the leaf for half an inch in extent with 
four or five large white silk stitches. The moth, which appeared in the 
bre*"diug cage May 4 of the following year, is described below. 

In another example, probably of this species, the end of the leaf was 
rolled up one and a half turns, and sewed with three broad strong silk 
stitches. On unrolling it the end of the leaf was found to be more or 
less eaten, the roll being gradually drawn in and made more perfect as 
the caterpillar consumes the tip of the leaf. It pupated September 18. 

Descriptive. — Larva. — Body rather thick, cylindrical ; body aud head delicate 
amber-colored ; end of the body with quite loug hairs, longer than the body is wide. 
Length 6™™. 

Pujja.— Rather thick; mahogany-brown; length, 7™™. 

Moth. — Palpi with the second joint moderately broad, scarcely more than twice as 
wide as the third joint, which is moderately broad and two-thirds as long as the sec- 
ond joint. Head and palpi whitish-gray ; second joint black externally ; third joint 
white, with two black rings. Fore wings of the usual shape ; white-gray ; at the base 
a black streak parallel to the costa; on the basal fourth of the wing is a pair of con- 
verging black spots; beyond is a similar but thicker pair of black spots, and still be- 
yond another pair, one of the spots being situated on the costa ; four black costal spots 
towards the apex of the wing. Hind wings pale glistening trray. Expanse of wings, 
18™™. I am indebted to Professor Fernald for the identification of this species. 

THE PINK-STRIPED WILLOW SPAN-WORM. 

( Deilinia variolaria Guen.) 

The caterpillar of thispretty moth is one of the commonest inch worms 
to be found on the Willow. 

The genus to which this caterpillar belongs was founded by Huebner 
for a moth referred by Guenee to Cabera. The species of Deilinia are 



26 

distingiiislied from tliose of Corycia by the pectinated auteunse, the two 
common lines, and the generally ocherous tint, though the females of 
D. variolaria are with difiBculty separated from those of Corycia. Prom 
AcidaUa the species differ in having pectinated antennae, in the want of 
a decided band on the hind wing, and in the larger palpi. The species is 
figured on PI. 10, fig. 26, of Packard's Monograph of Geometrid Moths. 

The caterpillar occurred August 10 on the Willow at Brunswick, Me. 
It pupated August 14, and the moth emerged from May 20 till June 6. 
The moths are seen flying among willows in June and July. We have 
also found the larvae July 24, and from that date till the first week in 
September. 

Descriptive. — Larva. — Body smooth, cylindrical. Head as wide as the body^ 
flattened from above, especially in front; auteunis pinkish. Green with a pinkish 
tinge ; ou the side of the head a lateral distinct deep pink line, sutures and upper side 
of the segments pinkish. There are eight dorsal median spots along the abdominal 
segments, a central dark-brown dot, flanked on each side by a pale lilac patch. First 
pair of abdominal feet deep lilac ; anal legs with a vertical anterior lilac line. Su- 
pra-anal plate large, triangular, with two minute tubercles. Length, 22™"". 

Pupa. — Thorax moderately stout, at first greenish, finally becoming like the abdo- 
men, mahogany-brown ; terminal spine (cremaster) rather stout and blunt, ending sud- 
denly in two large curved bristles with three minute slender much curved ones ou each 
side; the basal pair situated about half-way between the base and the middle of the 
spine. Length, 10™™. 

Moth. — Front of head deep reddish-ocherous ; white ou the front edge; palpi deep 
ocherous ; autenuEe white. Fore wings with the costal edge rather full. Both wings 
strigated more or less thickly with brown; sometimes the wings are pure white. In 
the male, the strigse (or short lines) are arranged in two parallel lines on both wings. 
Beneath, pure white; sometimes a complete black discal dot on each wing. Fore and 
middle legs ochei'ous. Expanse of wings 26"!™. This species dilfers from D. erythe- 
7naria (Guen.), also common in the Atlantic States, by its white wings, which are often 
without lines, and by the deep reddish ocherous frout of the head. 

THE HERALD. 
{ScoUopteryx Ubatrix Linn.) 

This fine moth, common to the New aud Old World, is in England 
called "the Herald." Here as well as in Europe it feeds as a general 
rule upon the Willow, but we are told by Mr. H. L. Clark that he has 
bred it from the Wild Cherry in Khode Island. 

Its habits so far as they have noticed are nearly the same as observed 
in Europe. Mr. Lintner, the State Entomologist of New York, says that 
the caterpillar feeds on and pupates among some of the leaves drawn 
together by silken threads to which the pupa is attached by an anal 
spine. The fall brood remains in the pupa state from fifteen to twenty 
days. He bred a moth which emerged August 3, hence he thinks that 
there are probably two annual broods of this species, since he has taken 
it in the early part of May. In Illinois Mr. Coquillett bred a larva which 
spun its cocoon August 23, while the moth appeared September 7. 



27 

Professor Riley's notes show that he found the larvte at Kirkwood, 
Mo., in May, 1872; that they began to spin their cocoons May 29; and 
that the moths began to emerge June 1 1 . On June 17 eggs were found. 

We have found the larva on the Willow at Brunswick, Me., August 
26, when it was nearly fully grown. It is easily recognized, since it is one 
of the few Noctuid caterpillars to be fonnd on the Willow, aud may be 
recognized by its pale green hue and the yellow lateral line as well as 
the yellowish sutures between the body-segments. A chrysalis beaten 
out of a Willow tree during the last week in August disclosed the moth 
about the 12th of September. Another chrysalis was found at Jackson 
2^. H., during the second week in September, the moth appearing Sep- 
tember 14. The larva had sewed together four or five willow leaves at 
the end of a terminal shoot, and the cavity thus formed was lined with 
a thin but dense whitish cocoon in which the pupa was situated with 
the head upwards, and firmly held in place by the hooks on the abdom- 
inal spine. The moth hibernates, appearing in May as soon as the 
leaves are unfolded, and we see no grounds for supposing that there 
is more than a single brood of caterpillars or of moths. The chrysalis 
is quite unlike that of most Noctuidje which transform in the earth, and 
has a simple blunt spine. The cremaster or spine of the present species 
is much like that of those Geometrids which spin a cocoon. 

We thus have an interesting departure from the usual structure and 
habits of a numerous family of moths, the end of the pupa being spe- 
cially adapted for a residence in a cocoon to i^revent its being shaken 
out of its exposed pupal abode. Like all tree-feeding jSToctuidae, the 
caterpillar is well protected from observation by its style of coloration ; 
in the present case the pale green assimilating it to the leaves among 
which it feeds. 

THE BROWN CRYPTOLECHIA. 

{CryptolecJiia quercicella Clemens.) 

The leaves of the Oak and, as we have found the past season, the 
Aspen, are often bound together by a rather large flattened Tineid cat- 
erpillar, larger in size than most larva? of the family to which it belongs. 
It is of about the size of the caterpillar of another less common species 
of the same genus (0. schlagenella) whose habits we have already de 
scribed in Bulletin IsTo. 3 of the Division of Entomology (U. S. Depart- 
ment Agriculture, ]). 25.) 

The larva of the present species (originally described by Clemens as 
Psilocorsis quercicella) was said bj' that author* to bind the leaves of 
oaks together in August and September (in Pennsylvania) and to pick 
out the parenchyma between the network of veins ; to weave a slight 
cocoon between two leaves, appearing as a moth in March and April. 
Our observations confirm the accuracy of Clemens's observations. In 

*Proc. Acad. Nat. Sciences, Phil., June, 1860. See also Clemens's Tineina of North 
America, edited b}' II. T. Stainton, p. 149. 



28 

1884 we reared it from the Oak in Providence, the moths in confine- 
ment appearing Ma^- 3 to 13 of the following spring. 

During the season of 1886 we found the larviie both on the Oak and 
on the Aspen at Brunswick, Me., during the last week in August (the 
25th to 31st). It disfigures these trees by binding the leaves together, 
where it occupies a gallery in the mass of excrement filling the space. 
It weaves a slight, but quite consistent, oval, flat cocoon between the 
somewhat crumpled leaves ; the moths appeared in the breeding cages 
from May 15 to 20 ; at first sight the moth resembles a Tortrix, the 
wings being wide and broad at the end, and the markings plain ; it is 
very different in appearance from the moth of the other species we have 
mentioned, which is white, with longer, narrower wings. The abdomi- 
nal sijiue of the chrysalis is also very peculiar in shape. 

Desckiptivk. — Larva. — Body flattened. Head wide, slightly narrower than the 
prothoracic segiueut ; dark brown; prothoracic shield dark brown, slightly paler than 
the head. Body behind pale livid greenish tiesh-colored ; no dorsal setiferous warts, 
but on each side of each segment are two dark warts of unequal size giving rise to 
long hairs ; below them are two smaller, paler, less conspicuous warts. Supra-anal 
plate large, broad, rounded, blackish, with five setiferous warts around the edges of 
the plate. All the legs coucolorous with the body. Length, 12"^™. 

Pupa. — Of the shape of the Tortricida?, being unusually stout and of a mahogany 
brown color. Abdominal segments peculiar in having a single, finely crenulated 
ridge passing dorsally and laterally around the front edge of the segment ; there are no 
teeth or spines, but a rough surface on the ridge with confluent granulations The 
tip is peculiar, the last segment being conical, with a stout spine (cremaster), which 
is rounded, a little flattened, and ending in two forks, from the sides and ends of which 
arise in all 6-8 long bristles, which stick into the silken lining of the rather slight 
cocoon in which it transforms. Length, 7""". 

Moth. — Recognized by its large size, broad square wings, and long slender palpi? 
curving backwards high over the head. Head, thorax, and fore wings tawny gray, 
with a line of fine dark scales on the base of the antennae and on the ui>per and un- 
der side of the last joint of the palpi. Fore wings uniform tawny gray, mottled with 
fine blackish scales ; no distinct markings except a dark diif use discaldot. Fringe gray. 
Hind wings and abdomen as well as the legs shining pale tawny gray, much lighter 
than the fore wings ; beneath of the same color, except that the fore wings are some- 
what dusky except on the outer edge and outer half of the costal margin. Expanse 
of wings 20™"^. 

THE BEECH SPAN-WORM. 

{Hyperetis nyssaria Smith and Abbot.) 

Although the Alder is one of the food trees of this not uncommon 
inch-worm, it is known to live on the Beech. The specimen reared from 
the Alder by us is described l)elow. 

I have reared this moth from a large span-worm found on the Alder 
September 6, at Brunswick Me., which exactly resembled a small twig 
of the same shrub. It i)upated September 20, in a broad flattened oval 
cocoon spun between the leaves, and the moth appeared at Providence 
in the breeding cage May 15 of the following year. 



29 

Mr. W. Saunders has reared the moth from a caterpillar found on the 
Beech, and it will probably occur on other trees. 

Larva. — Head rather small, much narrower than the body, somewhat flattened in 
front. First thoracic considerably narrower than the second thoracic segment ; sec- 
ond and third thoracic segments with lateral slight swellings ; the black spiracles are 
situated on dusky swellings ; on the fifth abdoraiual segment is a dusky dorsal hump, 
edged in frout with white, consisting of two rounded conical tubercles. Supra-anal 
plate rounded with two stiff terminal setae ; anal legs rather broad, with a setiferous 
fleshy conical tubercle on the upper edge. General color of head and body lilac-brown ; 
head slightly more reddish, and on the back of each segment is a pair of whitish spots, 
especially distiuct on the second thoracic, but wanting on the first segment. Supra- 
anal plate and aual legs sea-green, mottled with dusky spots. Length 28™"". 

Pupa. — Body rather .thick ; mahogany-brown, ends of wings and legs reaching to 
the posterior edge of the third abdominal segment. Terminal spine of the abdomen 
(cremaster) large, flattened beneath, broad, triangular ; the upper and under surface 
with fine irregular wavy longitudinal ridges. Four lateral curved bristles and a ter- 
minal pair about twice as thick and long as the others. On the under side at the base 
of the spine are two orbicular areas like flattened tubercles. Length 12 °>™. 

Moth. — Fore wings pale whitish, with fine cross specks as usual; the basal cross 
line is heavy on the costa and bent sharply outwards on the subcostal, with a smaller 
angle on the median vein and a larger angle ou the submediau vein. The great but 
obtuse angle made by the outer line extends quite near the outer edge of the wing. 
Half way between the apex and the outer line two brown costal patches; two un- 
equal black patches near the internal angle. Beneath, the lines and cross specks are 
reddish-brown. Expanse of wings 33™™. The specimen does not agree wjth either 
of the four figures in my Monograph of Geometrid Moths, differing especially in the 
shape and direction of the outer line. 

THE CLEFT-HEADED SPAN-WORM. 

{Amphydasis cognataria Guen.) 

This common inch or measuring worm is the largest species we have 
met with feeding on the Willow, and may be readily recognized by its 
deeply cleft head and reddish-brown or green body like a reddish or 
green willow twig, which it closely mimics. We have noticed it as 
frequently in Jackson, N. H., as in Maine. It becomes fully fed by the 
first week in September, my specimens transforming September 8, the 
chrysalis entering the earth. The moth appears in June in Maine, late 
in May in Southern New England and Xew York. I have raised this 
moth in INIaine from the Larch (pupating September 15), also from tlie 
Missouri Currant, an ornamental shrub; also from the Apple, Elm, 
Cherry, and the Aspen in Rhode Island, though the Willow is probably 
its native food- plant, as it occurs in greatest abundance on that tree. 
Mr. Lintner states that the larva feeds on the Maple; that the caterpillar 
entered the ground for pupation August 11, the moth emerging the 
latter part of May. (Eut. Contr. Ill, 166.) My specimens emerged in 
Providence, May 13. The larva found on the Aspen is greenish and 
like a fresh aspen twig, with whitish granulations, which are black on 
the tubercles. 



30 

Descriptive. — Young larva. — Head large, deeply notched, eacli tubercle distinctly 
conical ; body cylindrical, slender, with no tubercles ; a little gmaller iu the middle 
than at each end. Head and body uniformly of a dull, brick-red. Length t3 to 

Larva he/ore the last molt. — With the characters of the adult larva ; salmon red. 
Length 35'""'. 

Mature larra. — Twig-like, head very deeply notched, each side above conical ; the 
face flat in front, the surface granulated. Prothoracic segment raised in front into a 
large grannhxted j)iliferous tubercle. On the fifth abdominal segment a pair of large 
lateral rough tubercles, a little paler than the body; on the 8th segment a pair of 
converging pale granulated tubercles. Anal legs very large and broad, with a pair 
of long dorsal sharp fleshy tubercles ; supra-anal plate very large, conical and acute, 
with four setae near the apex. Body of even width throughout, reddish-brown, like 
a reddish willow twig, or sometimes greenish. The surface finely granulated with 
light and black, and with flat rough warts, paler in color than the rest of the body; 
our on the front edge of each segment, and two dorsal ones behind. It varies in 
color from reddish brown to green, thus mimicing willow twigs of diflerent colors. 
Length 5.5""". 

Pupa. — Large, full, stout; dark brown. Cremaster large, stout, a projection on 
each side iu the middle, beyond rounded, sharp, the point ending in a slender fork. 
Length 24'"'". 

Moth. — A large stout-bodied moth, with heavily pectinated antennje and rather 
small wings. Fore wings narrow, with the outer edge longer than usual; pepper and 
salt or ash sprinkled with black brown; an indistinct, diffuse, inner, curved line, 
with a second one nearer and diverging a little on the costa, being nearer together 
at the base. A third diffuse line encloses the discal spot. An outer distinct black 
hair-line always present. Hind wings with three dark lines. Abdomen with two 
rows of obscure black spots. Expanse of wings 60'"'". 

ICHTHYURA STRIGOSA Grote. 

The caterpillar of this interesting species was found July 30, at Bruns- 
wick, Me., feeding- on the Aspen {Populus tremuloides). It moulted 
August 10, and about the 20th began to spin a silken cocoon between 
two leaves. The moth (a male) appeared in the breeding cage at Prov- 
idence, May 20. Like I. americana^ it sits with the wings folded sharply 
over the back, with the fore legs held straight out in front, with the 
tufted tail curved up. 

Descriptive.— ZflTi'ffl bejm-e the last molt. — Head broader than the body, flattened 
in front, dull black, with long white hairs. Body flattened, with yellow and reddish 
longitudinal stripes ; three dorsal faint red stripes on a yellowish ground, and three 
deep lake-red lateral stripes, the lowermost the broadest and deepest in hue. Two 
bright yellow lateral stripes. Five pairs of flesh-colored abdominal legs, the legs pale 
amber, colored like the under side of the body. Length 9'"'". 

Larva after the last molt. — Markings much as in the previous stage. Length 17 to 
18""". 

The rude cocoon is formed by tying a few leaves together, gathering them by a web 
at the edges, thus forming a roomy chamber, partly lined with silk, within which the 
chrysalis rests. 

Pupa. — Smaller aud not so full and rounded at the end as in I. inclusa; cremaster 
as in that species, ending in two stout, very short, recurved spines. Length l^""". 

Moih. — One male. Smafler and duller brown than /. indentata Pack. Palpi whit- 
ish below, dark-brown above, as iu /. indentata (which closely resembles Fitch's /. 
vau) ; front of head slightly broader and sc^uarer ; median thoracic brown band as in 



31 

/. indenfata. Fore wings with the costal edge straighter and the apes less turned up 
than in I. indentata, the apex being slightly more rounded than in that species or in 
/. inclusa. Basal line distinct, making a sharp angle on the median vein, and more 
incurved in the submedian space than in I. indentata ; second line much more sud- 
denly incurved than /. indentata, the same line being straight in I. inclusa ; the short 
third line as in I. indentata, but more sinuous. Fourth and outer line much as in /. 
indentata, but the species differs from all the others known by the large conspicuous 
irregular whitish ochreous patch which fills iu the costal curve of this line and ex- 
tends half way from the costal end of the line to the apex of the wing ; no deep brick- 
red discoloration on each side of costal half of fourth line, so distinct in I indentata, 
but a long discal blackish stripe extends along the first median venule to the sub- 
marginal row of brown dots which are not so distinct as in /. indentata or I. inclusa,- 
though the marginal row of dark brown lunules is as distinct as iu I. inclusa. Fringe 
as in /. inclusa, but that on the hind wings much darker. Hind wings darker than in 
/. indentata. Wings beneath much as in /. indentata, but there is no reddish tint to- 
wards the apex, and the white oblique costal streak is umch less distinct. There are 
traces of a common brown diffuse line. Abdomen a little shorter, the fan or tuft of 
scales perhaps shorter and expanding wider. Expanse of wings 25™"'. ; length of 
body 12"'". 

THE LIVE OAK THECLA. 

{Thecla favonius Smith and Abbot.) 

The green, shig-like caterpillars of this beautiful butterfly were ob- 
served on the Live Oak at Enterprise, Fla., April 7 and 8, also a few 
days afterwards at Crescent City, and again ou the Scrub Live Oaks on 
Anastasia Island, Saint Augustine. They pupated April 13, 14; the 
chrysalis in general appearance closely resembling that of Thecla cala- 
niis, found about Providence. They breed easily in confinement, my 
specimens having been placed in a small jjocket tin box. After my re- 
turn to Providence the butterflies emerged from April 30 to May i'. It 
is the most common species in the Southern States, and is said by Smith 
and Abbot to feed on Quercus rubra and other Oaks. 

Descriptive. — Larva. — Closely resembling in general appearance that of Thecla 
calanus. Body straw-yellowish green, with fine yellowish papilliB and dense short 
hairs. Head pale horn-color, small and narrow. Length 17™™, 

Pupa. — Of the same size and shape as that of Thecla calanus, the hirsutes the 
same, though not quite so coarse. In color rather pale horn, not so much mottled 
with black. It differs from T. calanus in the distinct lateral row of black dots. Length 
10™™. 

Imago. — Wings of the usual form and color in the genus. Fore wings of male with 
a blackish sex-mark below the costa ; a tawny patch in the first and a larger more 
distinct one in the second median cell. Hind wings with a large deep orange patch 
near the inner angle, with a minute one on each side ; orange spots on the inner 
angle. ' ' The points of the W formed by the inner line on the under side of the hind 
wings touching the outer line" (French). Expanse of wings, 23™™. 

THE LIVE OAK LEAF-ROLLER. 

Tortrix quercifoUana Fitch. 

While at Saint Augustine, Fla., early iu April I noticed a pale green 
leaf-roller on the Live Oaks on Anastasia Island. April 14 it spun a 



32 

slight cocoou, withiu which the worm chauged to a pupa, April 16 or 
17; the moth appeared April 30, after my return to Provideuce. 

Descriptivk. — Larva. — Pale green ; bead green ; otherwise of the usual appearance. 

Pupa. — Body pale and slender, the cast skin thin and unusually so for a Tortrix. 
Cremaster or terminal abdominal spine peculiar in heing long and narrow, as wide at 
the tip as at theliase ; the surface above and beneath with line longitudinal ridges ; 
a pair of short dorsal seta^ near the end ; edge of the extreme tip curvilinear, with four 
curved seta* of nearly equal length. Each abdominal segment with two rows of fine 
teeth. Length, 10"'™. 

Moth. — Pale tawny yellow, with yellowish brown darker scales and dots and darker 
brown lines. Head pale, tawny brown on the vertex with a small spot in the middle 
of the front. Palpi dark, externally pale above and at tip of second joint. Fore 
wings pale whitish tawny yellow, densely speckled with darker scales; on the inner 
third of the wing an oblique, dark brown, narrow line beginning on the inner third 
of the costa and ending in the middle of the hind margin. An outer parallel line, 
which is forked on the costa and ends on the internal angle ; from near the middle 
the line sends off a spur to the apex, but before reaching the apex a spur is sent to 
Ihe costa, also a 3-forked line to the outer edge of the wing. Hind wings, abdomen, 
and legs almost white. Expanse of wings, 20™™. (Identified by Prof. Fernald.) 



REPORT ON NEBRASKA INSECTS. 
By Lawrence Bruner, ISiiecial Agent. 

This has been an unusually favorable year in Nebraska and adjoiuiug 
States for the ravages of certain injurious insects. The spring- was a 
little backward, rather drier than usual, and warm, suitable for the 
development of all kinds of our most destructive si)ecies. The summer 
was a hot and uncommonly dry one, killing olf the parasites, while con- 
tinuing favorable to most of the species causing injury to crops. 

Among the species noticed to be injurious the following were chief: 
The Red-legged Locust {Melanoplus fcmur-ruhrum), the Differential Lo- 
cust (J/. differentiaU.s), Chinch Bug [Micropus Icucopterus), the Striped 
Cottouwood Beetle {Plagiodera scrijHa), the Ash Sawliy, the Colorado 
Potato Beetle {Doryphora lO-Imeata), the Gray Blister Beetle {Lijtta 
cinercHs), the Corn Worm {Heliothis armigcra)^ and the larv;e of the Ash 
Saw-lly, and early in the season the Box-elder Plant Louse. 

Notwithstanding the ravages of all these insects in connection with 
a very dry summer, our crops have fallen but little below the average 
year, and at the present time everything appears in first rate condi- 
tion. 

As would naturally be supposed, from data received last year, locusts 
are again on the increase at various points both southward and north- 
ward. During the months of April and May I visited, under your in- 
structions, central Texas, where several species of these iusects had be- 
come so numerous as to endanger the crops in that particular locality. 
Upon these I reported at the time. We have since learned that crop 
prospects in that portion of the State were good, and that the locusts 
were diminishing in numbers. On the other hand, in Montana and 
northwestern Dakota, advices stated that the Rocky Mountain Locust 
{Melanoplus spretus) with several other species, were even more numer- 
ous than they were in these places last year. This being a new and 
sparsely settled country it has been very difficult to obtain reliable data 
as to their numbers, movements, and injuries, if any. 

Judging from occasional newspaper reports daring the season it is 
quite evident to my mind that scattering swarms of locusts have reached 
eastward at least as far as the James River, along the line of the North- 
ern Pacific Railway, and southward of this point i^robably 75 or 100 
miles. These swarms have certainly left their eggs scattered over the 
country passed through while migrating, and will evidently be heard 
17528— No. 13 3 33 



34 

from next spring, providing the winter is favorable to their preserva- 
tion. We do not, however, look for any extraordinary increase in these 
insects over an extended scope of country next year. 

In southwestern Nebraska and portions of northern Kansas the 
Chinch Bug (.1/. leucopterus) became very numerous during June and 
early July, and did a considerable amount of injury to crops — especially 
to small grain. This undue increase was maiidy due to the excessive 
drought in that particular region. A reference to the accompanying 
telegraphic crop reports will be sufficient proof of the magnitude of the 
injury done and the area overrun. Soon after harvest heavy rains in 
this region diminished the numbers of the insect. 

The Striped Cottonwood Beetle {Flag lode ra serlpta) has also been 
quite numerous in several portions of the West during the year, and 
did much injury to both Cottonwoods and Willows upon high land. 
Especially was this true with respect to the young trees upon tree claims 
in newly settled areas. There has been considerable vexation at the 
United States land offices on account of the injuries of this insect and 
of a species of Saw-fly, the larva3 of which attack the foliage of our va- 
rious si)ecies of Ash trees, causing them to die. When the time comes 
for "proving up" there are too few trees growing upon the tract of 
land, and the result is its probable loss to the enterer. 

The Colorado Potato Beetle ( Doryphora 10-Uneata) and Cabbage But- 
terfly {Pier is rapae) have both been rather more abundant than usual 
during the year and have done much injury to their respective food- 
plants. 

In addition to these, the Ash-gray Blister Beetle {Lytta cinerea) has 
been observed in several localities in northern Nebraska to entirely de- 
foliate young hedges of Iloney Locust. Until the present summer I 
have not observed this insect attacking the Honey Locust since the sum- 
mer of 187G or 1S77. At that tiuie a nursery of small trees of this kind 
were entirely stripped of leaves by them, as were also several larger 
ones standing alone. 

The Corn Worm {fleliothis armUjera) was very numerous and caused 
considerable injury by eating the ends of the ears of corn. It has also 
been found quite abunihxut in tomato patches, where it bored into the 
fruit, causing the tomatoes to rot. 

We append a series of short extracts from western newspapers bear- 
ing on some of these topics. 

" GRASSHOPPERS." 

A clone! of grasshoppers stopped for a meal at Sanborn [Dakota] recently and 
chewed n\} a Held of wheat iu ten minutes. — Omaha Dally Bee, July 23, 18()G. 

Grasshoppers are reported in numerous quantities in Winneshiek County, Iowa, 
Howard County, Indiana, and in Athens County, Ohio. — Omaha Daily Bee, May 31, 
1886. 

Grasshoppers are rej)orted at Fargo and Huron, Dak. Lawrence Bruner, who is 
authority on the subject, informs us that there is no doubt they are increasing yearly^ 



35 

and unless something is done to clieck tliem tbey will eventually be as numerous 
as ever. One consolation, however, is that tbey will never be able to do tbe same 
amount of damage in one locality as formerly, on account of tbe wider expanse of 
settled and cultivated land over which they will have to travel. Nebraska is forever 
more free from any serious ravages. — West Point Progress, Thursday, July 22, 18GG. 

CHINCH BUGS. 

Chicago, May 30. — ^The following crop summary will be printed iu-this week's issue 
of the Farmer^s Eeiiew : " A.s the season advances reports of the presence of insects in 
winter wheat fields grow more numerous, but beyond certain at^icted districts in 
Kansas, Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio the reiiorts are of an isolated character and do not 
appear to seriously threaten the geueral outlook for an average crop yield. Southern 
Illinois continues to send in the most bugs. Alexander, Bond, Edwards, Jefferson, 
and Monroe Counties, all in Southern Illinois, report great injury in many of the fields. 
Grenola, Franklin, and Panorama Counties, in Kansas ; Felton and Highland Counties, 
in Ohio, and Howard County, in Indiana, report considerable injury from chinch bugs. 
Looking over tiie entire winter wheat belt, the i^romise is still good for an average 
yield, but the early promise that the season was to bring forth a " bumper" crop will 
now be abandoned. The acreage would not warrant such an outcome, unless the 
conditions were everywhere extremely favorable. — Omaha Daily Bee, May 31, 1886. 

Chester, Nebr., July2. — [Special to The Bee]— The chinch bugs have been making 
great havoc with the spring wheat. Some fields are entirely destroyed, other's greatly 
damaged, and scarcely any left untouched. When the bugs get through with the 
wheat they attack adjoining cornfields and are damaging them to some extent. 

Belviderp:, Nebr., July 2. — [Special to The Bee] — Prospects for all kinds of crops 
are good with the exception of wheat, which the chinch bugs are taking to some ex- 
tent. 

Hebron, Nebr., July 2. — [Special to The Bee.] — Crops have needed rain badly for' 
some time until last Saturday, when a copius downpour came to their relief. Wheat 
is suffering from the depredations of chinch bugs, many fields having been taken en- 
tirely and not considered worth harvesting. Corn is growing finely, and although 
small for the season of the year bids fair to make a good crop. — Omaha Daily Bee, July 
3, 1H8B. 

Hastings, Adams County, Nebraska, July 9. — Eye and barley harvest is showing 
about two-thirds of a crop. The yield of oats and wheat, on account of drought last 
month and the present ravages of chinch bugs, will not exceed two-fifths of an average 
yield. Corn is doing fairly well but needs rain. 

Crete, Saline County, Nebraska, Ji<Z^ 9. —The condition of wheat isbad. Chinch 
bugs and rust are the cause, and there will be only a half a crop. Oats will only be 
half a crop, on account of late planting. Barley will be a larger crop than last year. 
Rye is a heavy crop There has been no rain for ten days. Farmers are jubilant. 

Wahoo, [Saunders County,] Nebr., July 9.— Nearly all the corn is laid by. It is 
needing rain badly. A few more days of dry weather will work great injury, but a 
rain in a few days will help it wonderfully. Oats and spring wheat will be slightly 
injured by drought, and chinch bugs are doing some damage to wheat. 

Exeter, Filjiore County, Nebraska, July 9. — Wheat will be a poor yield this 
year. Chinch bugs are reported from several places as very destructive. Corn was 
never better. It is two weeks since the last rain and more is needed, but no damage 
as yet. Farmers feeling o. k. 

Faipmont, Fillmore County, Nebraska, July 9. — Farmers need rain very much. 
Wheat, small acreage, is badly eaten by chinch bugs and injured by drought and heat. 
Corn and other small grains are suffering from drougth and heat. If dry spell con- 
tinibes one week more, farmers will raise only a small crop. 

Dannebrog, Howard County, Nebraska, July 9. — The hottest day so far this 
summer was yesterday, the temperature reaching 104° iu the shade. No rain has fallen 



36 

for five weeks and growing crops are suffering. Some fields of oats and spring wlieat 
Avill be an almost total failure. Kye, Avinter Avheat, and barley are ready for barvest, 
and tbe yield will be fair; cbiucli bugs are commenciug to be very bad in some parts 
of the county. The prospect of a good corn crop heretofore has been good, but now 
it is discouraging on account of the drought. — Omaha Daily Bee, Saturday, July 10, 
18S6. 

Hebuon, Thayer County, Nebraska, July 10. — Corn is in need of rain. The dry 
weather has continued for a period of two weeks or more. Small grain in general is 
suffering for want of rain. A rain any time within a week will help the corn in its 
growth and destroy the chinch bug, now playing havoe in many fields. Most of the 
small grain failed to fill out by reason of the dry Aveather, and its production won't 
reach tbat of last year's by one-half. Our farmer friends are somewhat discouraged 
over the present outlook for prospects of a good corn crop. 

York, York County, Nebraska, July 10. — Chinch bugs are working on wheat and 
other small graiu. Coru looks fair, but some of it is turning to a yellowish shade. , 
Squash and melon vines are wilting and bugs working on them. No rain for nearly 
three weeks. If we have rain in a few days there will not be a great shortage un an 
average crop. Farmers feel blue, knowing that the croji will not be an average one. 

York, York County, Nebraska, July 10. — The condition of the corn crop in York 
County is good, notwithstanding the dry weather of the past two weeks. Oats will be 
an immense crop. Spring wheat Is an entire failure. The crop was very short and 
what remained is being rapidly destroyed by the chinch bugs. The dry weather has 
had a damaging effect on wheat and corn. Winter wheat and other crops are good. 
The York County crop will average about 60 per cent. 

Edgar, Clay County, July 10. — Small grain has suffered badly from the drought in 
this part of Nebraska. There has been no rain in this section for two weeks, duriug 
which time the weather has been intensely hot and dry. Barley and rye are bar. 
vested, but there is not moi-e than two-thirds of a crop. There was yielded about two- 
thirds of a crop. Spring wheat and oats are very short, and are being destroyed by 
chinch bugs rapidly. Unless rain comes soon, but little graiu will be harvested on 
account of chinch bugs. Farmers are very much discouraged, though they still enter 
tain hoj)esof a medium coru crop. 

Fairchild, Clay County, Nebraska, July 10. — Wheat will make about one-half 
a crop, barley about three-fourths, and oats a good average yield. Dry weather in 
the early part of the season injured small grain most. We had good rains in the lat- 
ter part of May. Since that time it has been dry, no rain at all since June 28. Corn 
is looking well in spite of dry weather. If we get rain in a few days there will be a 
good prospect of nearly a full crop. Lately chinth bugs have made their appearance 
in largo numbers and are doing considerable damage. Farmers, as a rule, are feeling 
in good spirits over the crop prospects. — Omaha Daily Bee, July 12, 1886. 

Fort Dodge, Iowa, July 16.— [Special telegram to The Bee']— A much needed rain 
fell in this locality yesterday. * * * The crops are slightly damaged by the drought. 
Chinch bugs have made their appearance in portions of the county and are getting 
their work in on grain and corn. 

Hebron, July 16. — [Special to The iiee]— Your correspondent has made a thorough 
investigation of crops in Thayer County and Southern Fillmore, arriving at this place 
to-day. The chinch bugs have entirely destroyed many fields of spring wheat and 
oats. Some fields have been burned on the ground, with the hope of killing the bugs 
to keep them out of adjoining fields of small grain and corn. At the best, small graiu 
will not make over one-third of a crop throughout this section. Coru has looked well 
until within the past ten days, but the hot, dry weather of the last two wefeks has 
put a dift'erent hue on the aspect and on farmers' countenances. The earliest plant- 
ings and most forward corn suffers the most, but on all sides can be seen, sjjrinkled 
through the fields, stalks of corn that are white as snow. With copious rains within 
a few days a fair crop of corn may be had, but a delay of wet weather for ten days 



37 

will insure anywhei-e froai one-third of a crop to nothing. Pasture and hay lands are 
also showing the effects of the drought. — Omaha Daily Bee, July 17, 188(). 

Gkani) Island, Hall County, Amjmt 5. — The wheat crop throughout Hall County 
is turning out much better than was expected. In some precincts the farmers report 
the yield better than it has been for years, while iu other localities it was damaged 
by drought and chinch bugs, but the average yield Avill bo about 12 bushels jjer acre. 
The recent rains have done much tcnard bringing out the corn crop, which is in a 
splendid condition, and in some jdaces it will make 60 to 80 bushels to the acre, and 
without any more rain it will average about 40 to 50 bushels to the acre. Farmers 
are feeling good generally, and think the entire crop, on an average, is better than it 
haa been for years. — Omaha Daily Bee, August 6, 1886. 



TESTS WITH INSECTICIDES UPON GAEDEN INSECTS. 
By William B. Alwood, Special Agent. 

LKTTER OF TRANSMITTAL. 

CoLUMius, Ohio, October 30, 1886. 
Sik: I inclose herewith a summary of my tests with diftcrent insecticides. These 
are not written in the style of a report, but to acquaint you with the results I have 
obtained. My work is just beguu, and I do uot feel as though anything creditable 
in the way of a report could be furnished so far. I trust this will be satisfactory 
and furnish you with what information you desire concerning the progress of the 
work thus far. If you desire it I can furnish a copy of the original notes from 
Avhich this summary is made up ; however, many of my seri il tests were noted in bulk 
instead of keeping an individual record of each test. This was done because of same- 
ness and lack of importance in the individual record. This matter would have 
reached you a week sooner had I not been ill for several days. I will forward some 
notes about machinery in a few days. 
Very respectfully, 



Prof. C. V. EiLEY, 

U. S. Entomologist. 



WM. B. ALWOOD 



KEROSENE EMULSION. 



Formula. — Kerosene, G7 per cent.; water, 33 per cent.; whale-oil 
soap sufficient to form a stable emulsion. 

This preparation was used on several insects with somewhat varying 
results, the chief features of which are condensed in this note. 

On Cabbage Worms, 

The first series was begun before Plusia brassicK was numerous, hence 
only Pieris rapw is spoken of. The emulsion was used in different di- 
lations, ranging from equal parts of water and emulsion to IG parts of 
water and 1 of emulsion. It was in all cases applied as a spray, and 
when the worms were numerous and eating vigorously. Several hun- 
dred plants were used in the field tests. Weaker solutions than 1 of 
emulsion to 3 of water were of no avail unless applied very heavily, and 
then they caused considerable injury to leaves. In the proportion of 1 
to 3 it was quite effective where the worms could be reached, i. e., were 
not under the leaves, and destroyed about 75 per cent, of them. It did 
not injure the leaves in this strength if properly sprayed. Where so- 
lution of 1 to 5 was put on excessively it killed and also injured plants. 
Stronger solutions than 1 to 3 were not more efficacious and injured 
plants seriously. The weaker solutions would sicken the worms and 
39 



39 

aftect thein unpleasautly for a short time, but tbey would uuiformly 
recover, and either proceed agaiu to eat or crawl away to another 
plant. In no case were worms injured unless spray was delivered di- 
rectly upon them. Eating of the plants after they had been sprayed 
did not affect them. These experiments occupied several days and 
were duplicated. 

Tests in small Jars. — This was a duplicate test on Plusia hrassiccv and 
Pieris rapce. The liquid was applied with a feather and in sufficient 
quantity to moisten the entire body of the worm. In dilutions up to 1 
to 5 it killed both; weaker solutions occasionally killed one or more 
rapw but not hrassicce. 

In breeding Cages. — In this test the above was duplicated on larger 
scale. Liquid was applied as spray and until all woruis were thoroughly 
drenched. They were placed on jjarts of a small cabbage-head, so that 
each box very nearly represented an out-door experiment and enabled 
me to be much more certain of results obtained. 

Up to 5 dilutions 80 per cent, of r^j^a' were destroyed and 10 i^er cent, 
of hrassicce., there not being much difference in the strength of liquid 
as to efficacy. Weaker solutions did little or no injury to either. P. hras- 
sicce was not treated with emulsion at all in the field, but from effect 
on rapce am sure that the conditions were essentially those of outside 
experiments. The amount of drenching with this liquid which hras- 
sicce could stand was certainly remarkable. In previous test jars were 
covered. Liquid in each case was taken from same jar of emulsion. 
I had no trouble in making a good emulsion that was stable in what- 
ever dilutions I chose to use it. 

On Cabbage Plant-louse. 

Wherever used on this iusect, even in weakest solutions (1 to 10), 
the emulsion destroyed all that were touched by it. 

On White Grubs. 

A solution of 1 part emulsion to 1 ])arts water was used quite ex- 
tensively on the larvii3 of the May beetle, Lachnosterna fusca. The re- 
sults were far from satisfactory. Where used on the lawn the grubs 
descended 2 or 3 inches and were unharmed. Some few appeared a little 
sick, and occasionally a black spot was observed on some of them, but 
none were destroyed. After conducting this test for twenty days it was 
abandoned. Several boxes were arranged with loose soil and grubs 
placed in these for exi)eriment. Here where they were only lightly 
covered with loose soil the emulsion destroyed nearly every one in 
twenty-four hours. The liquid was sprinkled on in these tests suffi- 
ciently to moisten the surface thoroughly. 

Lime and salt were also tried over the lawn and in boxes. On the 
lawn where they washed through, the grubs immediately descended out 
pf reach, I^one were actually killed on the lawn that I could observe, 



40 

111 boxes lime was nearly as efficacious as eumlsiou, and so also was 
salt; however, to do good execution, salt must be applied in quantity 
suHicient to injure the soil. I think there is no doubt but these insects 
can be easily destroyed if they can be reached, but how to reach them 
under the soil is the question. Their large, soft bodies are very sus- 
ceptible to injuiy. 

PYRETHRITM. 

This powder was purchased from a local wholesale dealer, and to all 
appearances was of high grade. It was used in various tests to experi- 
ment on its use, and as a check on other substances it was used iu all 
tests of whatever nature. 

0)1 Cabbage Worms. 

My earlier experiments lead me to believe that brassicw was much 
harder to destroy than ra^xc, and this I still believe to be the case to 
some extent, but not to such an extent as at first supposed. Quite a 
large series of tests were made in the field and also in jars and cages to 
test the above supposition, the result iu the main being very satis- 
factory. Pure and up to 3 dilutions it killed rapw with a i^recision 
and certainty that was remarkable, the powder after the 3 dilutions 
acting nearly as well as if stronger. The time required was varia- 
ble, but usually the worms were well used up iu two hours. Above 3 
dilutions its action Mas uncertain and not to be depended upon, although 
5 dilutions will kill a fair i>ercentage if thoroughly applied. With bras- 
Slav the results were quite similar up to 3 dilutions. A large quantity 
of powder was used of this strength on these worms after rapw had 
nearly disappeared. It was very effective, killing fully 90 per cent, 
of all worms, although the time required is somewhat longer than with 
rapcv- Above 3 dilutions it is not efficacious ou brassicw, killing 
scarcely any, and from the whole experience of my experiments I am 
satisfied that 3 dilutions are all that can safely be made for out door 
work. 

In Jars. — A large number of tests were made in jars, with very minute 
quantities of powder on both worms. Jars were covered. These were 
very successful, causing death in from forty minutes to two hours. The 
ouly exception to this was a full-grown larva of brassica\ In this test 
dilutions up to twenty times the weight of powder were quite efficacious 
ou ra2)(C, but a few of the last did not destroy brassicw with certainty. 

This series was also repeated in breeding cages with, in the main, 
corroboratory results. After 5 dilutions its action on brassicw was 
quite uncertain, depending somewhat upon the amount used; 15 dilu- 
tions would not kill them at all under any method of treatment. Ra/pw 
was killed up to 20 dilutions if thoroughly applied, although iu such 
cases tliey were more severely treated than would be possible with 
powder bellows in field work. Experiments with minute portions of 



-11 

pure powder would indicate that it is not the amount of powder that 
proves fatal but that it is the fact of a few grains of powder coming in 
contact with the body of the worm. All of my dilutions above 5 times 
the weight of powder show that its efficiency is thus very much im- 
paired, and I am satisfied that while almost infinitesimal doses are snf- 
ficieut to produce death when powder is pure, they will not suffice in 
the presence of adulterations. lam quite convinced that 5 dilutions 
is the limit of safe adulteration, and think that I should hesitate to 
recommend over 3. The age of the worm when treated is of consider- 
able importance in this connection, as young worms are destroyed with 
much greater certainty than older ones. Pure powder exposed on the 
leaves of cabbage plants for periods of thirty minutes, fifteen hours, 
and twenty hours, killed with as much certainty as fresh powder. Old 
powder, which had stood one year in a candy jar without cover, killed as 
well as fresh powder. This last was used, diluted 3 times, in field work 
and did good execution. 

One pound of powder diluted with 3 pounds of flour and carefully 
used in a Woodason double-coue bellows was sufficient to dust one 
acre thoroughly'. Four was the only adulteration used. 

EXTRACTS OF PYRETHRUM. 

Water extract — 1 ounce pyrethrum ; 1 pint water. 

Alcholic extract — 1 ounce pyrethrum; 1 pint alcohol. 

These were thoroughly tested and the tests repeated several times, 
with very unsatisfactory results. 

The water extract was made by stirring together the ingredients. 
Only the liquor was used which was kept in a tightly closed jar. 

This extract destro^'ed rapae at an average rate of 50 per cent, up to 
4 dilutions, and at 5 dilutions failed entirely. In full strength it was 
not nearly so elBcacious as dry powder, even on rajxe, and it did not 
affect hrassica' at all. 

The alcoholic extract was made by repercolation with about 80 per 
cent, alcohol. This I anticipated would bear a large number of dilu- 
tions, and it was used in an extensive series of tests in the cages and 
jars. Up to 5 dilutions it killed fairly well and a few were destroyed 
above this, but not enough worth mentioning, only a small or weak 
worm dying. This test was repeated several times and a new extract 
was made, but with little better results. The new extract killed about 
50 per cent, very slowly at 10 dilutions. Both extracts spoken of 
above were applied as spray, except that in jars a feather was used and 
the worms thoroughly wetted. 

On A2)his brassicce. 

Pyrethrum in several forms was used on this insect with unsatisfac- 
tory results, the action being, when applied pure or in strong mixtures? 



42 

to dislodge but not destroy them. Pure powder applied with a bellows 
quickly dislodged tlieni, but did not kill over 10 per cent. Those not 
killed soon recovered and crawled back upon the plant. 

On Potato Beetle. 

Used in the field pure it destroyed about 50 per cent, of the larvse, 
principally younger ones. Adults were not injured though heavily 
treated, but when confined iu breeding cage and thoroughly dusted 
they were all killed. I am quite sure pyrethrum is not a satisfactory 
remedy for Potato Beetle where London jjurple or Paris green can be 
used with safety. 

On Tomato Worms. 

Several species of Sphingids were quite numerous on the tomato 

vines, principally quinque-maculata. Ou these the powder was used 

l)ure and also diluted three times. I did not observe an instance where 

thoroughly applied that it did not produce death in from two to three 

days. 

On Squash Buga. 

Diahrotica vittata and also 12pnnctata were treated with the powder 
both pure and diluted three times. It destroyed them very efiectually, 
although I am not certain that they could be so successfully treated in 
the spring when the plants are small and the beetles very active. This 
treatment was late in the season when they were feeding ou jiollen iu 
the bloom of squashes. 

On Fall Weh-icorm. 

Not enough of these could be found for thorough tests, but pure 
powder nsed on one colony made them immediately break from the 
web, fall to the ground, and scatter in all directions, but two days' ob- 
servation failed to show any dead ones. 

Several times woolly caterpillars were treated both with powder and 
solution without in any instance producing death. 

The powder used throughout was the roseum, and from one package. 

BuiiACii {Fyrethrum cineraricvfolium). 

1 was ordered to obtain this powder direct from dealers, and finally 
sent to Stockton, Cal., for it. It did not arrive in time for full com- 
parisons with P. roseum, but I tested it quite thoroughly on P. hrassicoi. 

Used in minute particles it kills iu one to three hours, was decidedly 
slower in action than P. roseiim, but the weather was cooler. Exposed 
on leaves of plants it killed up to three days' exposure though very slow 
at last trial. Weather cool as before mentioned. 

Diluted with flour it kills in small jars up to 80 dilutions, but in 
cages was not eflective after 10 dilutions, and I think most of thes§ 



43 

would liave recovered had tbey been where they coiikl have crawled 
away to fresh leaves. The season was so late when received that I was 
uuable to give it a test out of doors with anything like satisfaction. 

Alcoholic extract — One ounce powder, 4 fluid ounces alcohol (reper- 
colated). 

This killed slowly at 10 dilutions ; above that was not efiective. 

BENZINE. 

This was used on several Insects. Early in the season when the rapw 
worm was plenty a large number of infested plants were spraj^ed with 
very unsatisfactory results. Where it was used lightly not 1 per cent, 
of worms was killed, used heavily a few more were killed, but the plants 
were also slightly injured. Tests in the field were repeated several 
times with no better results. A number of tests were made in breed- 
ing cages and there they resisted it equally as well. Of one lot, after 
being thoroughly sprayed four times in quick succession, only IG per 
cent. died. It usually sickened the worms, but they soon recovered. 
Of the lot above mentioned two had pupated in twenty hours. Only by 
the most thorough drenching was I able to kill cabbage worms at all 
with this remedy. The injury to leaves was not nearly so great as at 
first would be supposed, and in fact only extremely lieavy applications 
did any lasting injury. 

On Potato Beetle. 

Thorough spraying did not injure these at all. Leaves were not in- 
jured. 

On Tomato Worms. 

The most thorough treatment was unavailing. Leaves slightly in- 
jured. 

On iSquash Bugs. 

Were not injured. Leaves- slightly burned. 

On Cahhage Lice. 

These were destroyed where the spraying was thoroughly done. 

ALUM WATER. 

This was first used in solution of 1 ounce to 1 quart of water, but as 
this had no effect whatever on cabbage worms or lice a strong solution 
was made by boiling water with a quantity of alum in it. Part of the 
alum crystallized out on cooling, but left the solution as s*"rong as could 
be made. This was used very thoroughly with no result whatever. In 
every respect it was a complete failure. 



44 

ICE WATER. 

This was used in spray aud poured upon the pUiuts iu quantity, also 
worms were submerged in the water for periods of time up to ten seconds. 
Every trial showed tliis to be utterly valueless as a remedy. Occasion- 
ally a small worm would be iujiired but iu no case that I observed were 
any killed outright. Temperature of water during trials varied from 
35c> to 38° Fah., air from 90° to 95° Fah. A hot day was purposely 
selected for the work. 

TANSY WATER. 

Strong decoctions of this were made both by soaking and boiling the 
leaves. In both cases it was apparently as strong as could be made. 
Used iu the field, no result whatever. On worms confined in closed 
jars they died in about six hours. In cages no effect whatever, though 
tested repeatedly and very heavily applied. 

TOMATO WATER. 

A strong decoction of this was made by boiling and used as above 
with quite similar results. In many instances the substance has de- 
stroyed the worms iu jars (small wide-mouth bottles) and not under 
exposed conditions. The larvae were not drowned but only moistened. 
This is important as showing that the manner of using a substance is 
quite imi^ortant. 

DREER'S INSECT TERROR. 

This powder was used both in the field and iu cages. In no instance 
of the field trials were any of the larvaj injured, though it was thoroughly 
applied, lightly with bellows aud heavily by hand. Used in cages it 
had no effect whatever except that iu one instance 20 per cent, otrapce 
were killed where it was applied to food so heavily as to completely coat 
it over. P. hrassicw was not affected by its use though confined from 
four to five days where food plant was completely coated with powder. 
I feel perfectly safe iu saying, after abundant tests, that this substance 
is perfectly worthless. 

HAMMOND'S SLUG SHOT. 

This was used only on Cabbage Worms (rapw and brassicfc). In field 
tests several hundred plants were used and tests made very thoroughly. 
At first the powder was dusted on lightly and was almost an entire 
failure, but with repeated and heavier dustings better results were ob- 
tained; howev^ernoueof the results were sufficiently successful to com- 
mend its use. Where used heavily not over 20 per cent. o{ rapce were 
killed, and hrassiccv were not injured. In none of the field tests was I 
able to find dead hrassicw. Worms of both species were frequently 



45 

noticed forty-eiglifc hours after application feeding as usual though 
themselves and the leaves were coated with powder. In bi-eeding cages 
better results were obtained. Light applications did but little good as 
outside, but heavy aj)plications, where plants were completely covered 
with powder, were quite effective, both species being destroyed to the 
extent of 80 per cent, to 90 per cent. (N^o substance was more carefully 
or thoroughly' used than this in the above experiments.) In solutions 
the effect was about the same. It was used up to 8 ounces to 1 pint of 
water, making almost a thick mixture. In this manner about 25 per 
ceut. of rajycv were killed in the field; not tried in cages. 

All of my work i)oints to the conclusion that brassicm is more difii- 
cult to deal with than rapw ; especially is this true where the poison is 
a powder to be eaten. They are easily disturbed and will move away 
to the under side of the leaves until disturbing cause has disappeared. 

This powder cannot be successfully applied with a bellows, because 
of its characteristic of accumulating in little balls or masses which can- 
not pass the bellows, and, also, it must be applied heavily to accomplish 
any results whatever. Heavy applications by hand will probably i^rove 
the only means of doing any good with it. 

TOBACCO SOAPS. 

Of these several were used, Wolf's Vermin Soap and different brands 
from the Rose Manufacturing Company, of New York, known as sulfo- 
tobacco soaps. Also two brands made by the above company were 
sent me by the Division, viz, a soda and a potash tobacco soap. These 
two packages seem not to be the same grade of goods the company at 
present manufacture, as evidenced by the difference in strength shown 
by my tests. The samples sent by the Rose Company were a plain 
and scented soda soap and a scented potash soap. The sample of Wolt's 
soap was received from the Milwaukee Soap Company, Milwaukee, Wis. 
It is a stiff soda soap strongly scented with tobacco and very offensive 
to handle. The potash soaps above mentioned were much softer .than 
the soda soaps. They all dissolved readily at 100° Fall., and the Rose 
soaps remained in solution, but the Wolf's soap solidifies the whole so- 
lution even when very weak, forming a jelly-like mass. This is a very 
objectionable point if this soap is desired to be used as spray, as it 
necessitates heating every time before using. 

On Cabbage \Vorms. 

The two samples received from the Division were thoroughly tested 
on both species previousl}' mentioned in this report. The solutions 
were made of different strength's up to 4 ounces to 1 pint of water, at 
which strength the soda soap destroyed slowly but thoroughly all larv.e 
of both species, and the potash soap was sure death to all larviie which 
came in contact with it. These solutions improved with age as did all 
the soap solutions. 



46 

Of the samples received direct from the Rose Company the plain and 
scented soda soap were of tbe same strength, the only difference being 
that the scented soap is much more pleasant to handle. This and the 
potash soap were of about equal strength and destroyed readily all 
larv;e where thoroughly applied in solution of 1 ounce to 1 pint of water. 

These soap solutions were used in a large number of tests which were 
duplicated several times, and in the strength stated gave good satis- 
faction, and are, I think, among the best liquid, non-i)oisonous appli- 
cations 1 have ever used. 

Wolf's soap, in solution of 2 ounces to 1 pint of water, did fairly good 
execution, but was not safe at that strength. In most of the tests it 
was used 4 ounces to 1 pint of water, at which strength it was sufficient 
to destroy all worms. After standing for two or three weeks the jelly 
formed by this soai^ when first dissolved breaks up into liquid, and its 
destructive power seems to be enhanced. 

0)1 Cahhage Flant-Uec. 

The Wolf's soap and the two samples received from the Division were 
used on the lice in several strengths, and one-half ounce to 1 pint was 
perfectly efficient, destroying all lice immediately. The samples re- 
ceived from the Rose Company direct were not used on lice, but their 
efficiency on rapiti and hrassicw would indicate that they would bear 
still greater dilution. 

The circular of the Rose Company is, I think, quite misleading where 
they state that the essential principle of their soaps is a gum taken 
from tobacco in an aeriform condition and condensed in a vacuum. The 
only destructive principle which I am aware is contained in tobacco is 
a liquid alkaloid (never solid) known as nicotine. It is my opinion 
that the destructive effect of all these soaps, when used on the bodies 
of worms or soft insects, is entirely due to the caustic principle of the 
alkalies used. Potash, being the strongest alkali, will, I think, give best 
results where used in equal quantity with other alkalies. I proved to 
my entire satisfaction that none of these soaps are poisonous when 
eaten on the food plant. Of course, insects will not eat them readily. 
(A sample of carbolic-acid soap was used in various strengths without 
any results whatever.) 

SEVERAL REMEDIES IMPORTED FROM LONDON. 

These were used only on Cabbage worms. The results were entirely 
unsatisfactory. 

The whole series of tests were conducted in breeding cages. The 
quantities used were double what directions advised, and the tests were 
repeated several times: Moore's conqjound, in solutions of one-half 
ounce to 1 ounce in 1 pint of water : Only two worms killed after several 
trials. Fir-tree oil solutions of 1 to 2 teaspooafuls iu 1 pint of water: 



47 

During repeated tests two worms were killed. Gisburst, in solutions of 
1 to 2 ounces in 1 pint of water: This sickened many worms, but only 
three were destroyed. Bridgeford's Antiseptic, used pure, sickened the 
worms and destroyed several. 

These remedies were entirely worthless. They are of foreign manu- 
facture, and are not specially recommended for cabbage worms, but are 
advertised as insecticides of great merit; hence my notion of testing 
them on cabbage worms. 



REPOET ON OHIO INSECTS. 
By William B. Alwood, Special Af/ent. 

I,ETTK]{ OK TRANSMITTAL. 

Columbus, Ohio, Octoher 21, 1886. 
Dear Sir: I forward to-day a fow paj^es of notes ou insects observed during tlie 
few months I have been at work. 
Yours, very truly, 

WM. B. ALWOOD. 
Prof. C. V. EiLEY, 

U. S. EnlomoJogist. 

THE STRAWBERRY LEAF-BEETLE. 

{Paria atcrrima.) 

This insect began abont the middle of Augnst to feed upon the foliage 
of the strawberry beds in the University garden. It was first noticed 
upon the old beds, bnt soon spread to the new ones, and has done con- 
siderable damage, in some places completely riddling the leaves with 
its minnte round holes. At the present date (October 12) it is yet 
busily at work. 

THE STRAWBERRY ROOT-BORER. 

( Graphops puhcHcens.) 

Since the 1st of September tlie larva of this beetle has been doing 
considerable damage to the strawberry beds, attacking both old and 
new beds, and in some spots destroying as many as 10 per cent, of the 
plants. The grubs are found in numbers varying from two to eight per 
l)lant either in or near the roots. They work all the way from the crown 
to the lower part of the roots, eating in slight channels, which are left 
full of chips and castings. The grubs never, so far as I have noticed, 
bury themselves deeply in the fleshy i)art of the root, but prefer to work 
along the sides. Frequently a dead plant may bs taken up whose roots 
show their work plainly, yet none of the larvie are present in it. Ex- 
amination of the soil around the i)lant will, however, reveal the little 
fellows. I have observed a great number in position feeding. Up to 
date (October 20) no pupte have been found. 

48 



49 

THE STRAWBERRY CROWN-BORER. 
{Tyloderma fragarim.) 

This iusect lias done slight damage to one old bed. I have not in a 
single instance observed them in youug beds. 

THE PLANTAIN CUKCULIO. 

{Macrops sp.) 

This iusect was received from Medina County, the first specimens ar- 
riving July 21. With them came several specimens of plantain which 
were so thoroughly tunneled by the little grab that they had died. 
There were from two to six grubs in a single plant, and thej" completely 
exhausted the fleshy portion of the root. From this lot. received July 
21, several adult beetles issued August 7. These were left in the cage 
several days, and I think must have deposited eggs on fresh i^lantain 
growing in the cage, as several days later, when examining this cage 
preparatory to cleaning it up, I found several young larv;e in the fresh 
plantain I had put in the cage on receiving first supply. These were 
observed closely. They pupated August 25 and issued September 3 to 
4. Another lot of specimens was received August 6, i^Iaced in a differ- 
ent cage, began pupating IGth and issued 25th-to 29th of August. From 
the account of the gentleman sending them they were quite destructive 
over a limited area. 

A NEW OAT FLY. 

{Oscinis f sp.) 

This insect was discovered while Aisiting the northern part of Union 
County, some 50 miles from Columbus, to investigate another insect 
which had appeared in the wheat. (This insect proved to be Meromyza 
americana, and was confined to a very limited area, though it took 
the plants clean so far as it went.) The date of this visit was June 
15, and the farmers had first noticed the attack upon the oats about 
June 9. The oat plants were 6 to 8 inches high and where attacked 
appeared as though a fire had swept over them just low enough to scorch 
the upper blades. Eggs and larvte were both present at this time as 
described in my letters. The injury was confined to spots of several 
rods in dimension, but several fields in the neighborhood were affected. 
At my last visit, June 25, I estimated the damage to be about 40 per 
cent, in spots affected. A quantity of the plants were brought home 
and placed in breeding cage. On June 20 the first imagos, two in 
number, issued. From this cage they issued afterwards almost daily 
until July 7. 

On my second visit I also brought home material in which larvas and 
pupse were quite abundant, but ibund no eggs. Flies issued from this 
batch in great numbers up to July 12. 
17528— No. 13 4 



50 

THE CABBAGE PLANT-LOUSE. 
{Ajjhis hrassicce L.) 

This insect was quite troublesome this season from about the 1st of 
August to Ist of September. After the hitter date they couhl ouly be 
fouud iu scattering colonies. Daring the worst period of attack they 
were so plentiful as to nearly ruin many plants. 

I mention them more for the purpose of speaking of the insects which 
preyed upon them than anything else. 

Of these the larviB of the Syrjihus flies (two species were reared) were 
the most i^ersistent and literally swept the lice off by thousauds. It 
was very interesting to watch these blind maggots in their work of de- 
struction. There were also present the larvtB of Lady-birds and Lace- 
winged flies. These, however, did not do anything like the execution 
of the first-named insects. I noticed where lice were very numerous 
that a large per cent, became winged, while on other portions of the field 
it seemed that a much larger per cent, were apterous. 

CABBAGE WORMS. 

{Plusia brassicw and Pieris ropic.) 

August 3 a few 1;h-vjtb of hrassicce were noticed iu a pa'tch of a 
couple of acres of Cabbage where nqxc were already quite abundant and 
doing considerable injury. They were so few that it was hardly tliought 
possible they could do much harm the present year. On this date the 
rajKv as above stated were already numerous and doing much harm. 
A series of experiments was at once begun looking towards their de- 
struction. However, many of this brood pupated, and from the 10th to 
the 15th of August I never saw the rapcc butterfly so abundant as they 
were over the cabbage beds iu the University garden. These deposited 
their eggs iu gieat abundance, and after several days disappeared. 
Among the first brood of worms (rapw) I had noticed a few larv;ie af- 
fected by Apantelcs glomcratus, and also several pupte which had been 
stung by Fteromahis puparum. These did not appear to be abundant, 
but probably many were not noticed. As this second brood of rupee 
developed it was hardly possible to find a larvte not aftected by one of 
these parasites. A. glomeratus was most abundant, as it stings the 
young larvie, but should one be so fortunate as to escape this insect, P. 
puparum was sure to find it. I noticed that the last named alwaj's 
stings the larvajust before it makes the last molt or immediately after 
the pupa is formed. So well did these parasites do their work, that 
after the large brood of butterflies previously mentioned not an adult 
was seen except that now and then a straggling individual would sail 
over the field. In all of my experiments in boxes, during which I con- 



61 

fined a great many worms for days at a time, not a bealtby pupa of 
ra2)(v was formed. 

Neither of these parasites nor any other affected the Plusia in the 
least. , 

About August 20 the Plusias began to appear in greater numbers, 
not formidable as yet, but so numerous that I began to collect them in 
separate cages for experiment. From this time on until the 1st of 
October this insect multiplied at an astonishing rate. About the mid- 
dle of September a late bed of cabbage, of perhaps a little more than 
one acre, which had almost escaped rcqyw, was found to be literally alive 
with these larvie, from ten to forty or fifty being found on a single 
plant. They destroyed it very rapidly, until the gardener put a man 
under my direction to kill them, which was done very successfully. 
The moth was not observed to move about at all during daytime, but 
was frequently found hidden among the leaves of the plant. When 
disturbed it flew rapidly in a zigzag manner and soon alighted. 

It deposits its eggs irregularly over the lower side of the leaf, vary- 
ing from a few in number to twelve or tw^enty. This habit makes it a 
worse enemy, in my estimation, than rapiv, as tliey deposit their eggs 
singly, and never in my observations do they happen to get so many 
on one plant as brassicce does. The latter, from my observations, is 
much the more prolific, and is also more hardy. 

THE CORN APHIS. 

{Aphis maidis.) 

The only injury I have ever known to be done by this insect occurred 
this year, about C> miles northeast of this city. A gentleman planted 
his corn early in May, The weather was quite favorable, and it came 
up promptly and looked well for a few days, and then began to turn 
yellow and wither away. On examining he found what he rightly 
called a "small louse" in great abundance, and associated with it a 
great many small ants. He could not conclude that the louse was the 
canse of injury, so laid it to the ants. The injury became so great in a 
few days that he concluded to plant the field all over again, which he 
did with a two-horse check-row xdanter. This planting was taken tlie 
same as the first, and the field again planted over. This last planting- 
was not much injured, and with the remnants of first two plantings 
made quite a crop. On the 11th of July, being in the neighborhood, 
my attention M'as called to the field. I still found the Aphis present 
in considerable nuuibers, but the corn was doing fairly well. A large 
number of insects were examined, yet none but apterous forms were 
observed. Tiie first field is black- loam bottora-laiid, extending partly up 
on upland, lying beside a creek of considerable size; it is well drained, 
and the soil is loose and friable. 



62 

l^HE CLOVER-SEED MIDGE. 
( Cecidomyia legutninicola.) 

Quite serious complaints came to me conceriiiug this insect, princi- 
pally from counties lying north of the central portion of the State. It 
was not noticed at all in this vicinity, and so far as I know has never 
been found here or in the southern part of the State. Last year it was 
quite destructive in the same region reported from this year. 

Definite facts as to extent of injury were not to be obtained, yet good 
farmers reported it as destroying a large part of the crop in their sec- 
tions. 

THE MAY BEETLE. 

{Lachnosterna fusca.) 

Tlie larva of this beetle has destroyed a large portion of the sward 
on the university campus during the present summer. The attack 
began some three years ago and has become worse each year, until this 
season a large part of the lawn was left bare and brown, not even the 
first growth of bluegrass comiug to maturity. From the spots where 
attack is most severe the sod can be rolled up in bundles. Clover is 
not injured and is consequently spreading spontaneously over the lawn. 
Examinations frequently showed as many as a dozen grubs to the square 
foot. There were three broods plainly to be noted ; the two-year and 
one year were the most numerous, there being comparatively few grubs 
from eggs laid the past spring. 

A large number of examinations showed no case of disease. Grubs 
began descending to winter quarters about September 20, but October 
20 there are yet quite a number to be found. They were reported at 
work in lawns and strawberry gardens from many localities around the 
city, but were nowhere so numerous as here. 

PTEROMALUS PUPARUM AND APANTELES GLOMERATUS. 

A few observations on these two i)arasites may be of interest. Many 
specimens of each were bred. P. imparum issued on an average in fif- 
teen days from date of ovipositing. From one pupa of the Cabbage 
Worm I bred fifty-two flies and from another one hundred and eleven. 
These last issued in just sixteen days from the time the females ovi- 
posited. This I considered a remarkable number to issue from one 
pupa, but of the fact there is not the iiossibility of a doubt. I observed 
three of the females ovipositing in one larva on the nfternoon of August 
24. These I watched for some time, intending to take the larva when 
they had done with it, but as they were still at work late in the after- 
noon I marked the spot and visited it the next morning to find a pupa 
formed. From this issued the flies, as noted above. In two instances 



53 

•where I disturbed females the flies hatched ten and twelve in number, 
respectively, and were all females. 

I was not able to take the females of A. <jlomeratus in the act of ovi 
positing, as they seem very sly. Several times I thought I caught them 
in the act, but was not sure. After pupating they were eight to ten 
days before issuing. They issued from twenty to possibly fifty in num- 
ber, although I vas never positive of breeding more than thirty-eight 
from one specimen. 

This parasite did much more good than P. puparum, as it seemed to 
get the first chance. 

APANTELES CONGREGATUS. 

This insect w^as very destructive to the Sphingid larvtc on tomatoes. 
There were no less than four species of these worms, of which Macro- 
sila quinque-niaculata was most abundant. All were attacked, scarcely 
any escaping. I took one hundred and eighty cocoons from the body 
of one worm. 



A EECORD OF SOME EXPERIMENTS RELATING TO THE 
EFFECT OF THE PUNCTURE OF SOME HEMIPTEROUS IN- 
SECTS UPON SHRUBS, FRUITS, AND GRAINS, 1886. 

By F. M. Webster, Special Agent. 

LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL. 

La Fayette, Ind., October 15, 1886. 
Sir : I herewith give results of my exiieriraeuts with Horaiptera, priacipally Lygus 

nratensis L. 

F. M. WEBSTER. 
Prof. C. V. Riley, 

U. S. Entomologist. 

The object of the following experiments was to determine the effect 
of the punctures, or the withdrawing of sap from shrubs, the juices 
from berries, and the milk from ripening grain; and if possible to settle 
the iioint as to whether or not these Hemiptera, in thus partaking of 
their food, eject a i)oisonous saliva into the wounds which they neces- 
sarily produce, and thereby canse the death of the punctured object. 

All insects were confined upon these shrubs, fruits, and grains by 
means of a sack of Swiss muslin, drawn over the object and tied, the 
stem being protected from undue x^i'essure by cotton placed in the 
mouth of the sack. 

Experiment 1. 

Fwcilocapsns qiiadrivittatus. 

May 22, a number of adults were confined upon two or three inches 
of terminal portions of a young pear shoot. 

Eesult — Within one week the shoot withered, and afterwards the 
leaves and buds died, and turned black as far down as the muslin sack 
extended, but below that point no effect was noticeable. Later, after 
the insects had also perished, new leaves were put forth within the sack. 

Experiment 2. 

Lygus xn'aiensiH L. 

May 20, placed adults on shoots of Concord grape. 
Result. — May 28, no effect could be noticed. 

54 



55 

Experiment 3. 
Lygus pratensis L. 

May 25, confined adults on youn^ shoots of Gooseberry. 
Result.— May 30, no effect i^erceptible. 

Experiment 4. 

Lygus pratensis L. 

Tried same experiment as No. 3, leaving adults oil slioots for twenty 
days. 
Results. — Same as in the preceding. Insects all dead. 

Experiment 5. 

Lygus liratensis L. 

June 25, placed twelve adults on young- shoots of Pear. 

Result. — July 10, both the insects and that portion of the shoot 
upon which they were confined were dead. The plant withered and 
turned black, as in Experiment Xo. 2, but in this case died. 

Experiment 0. 

Lygus pratensis L. 

May 21, placed a number of larvie on a Charles Downing strawberry 
which was just turning to the white color which precedes the final red 
or ripe color. 

Result. — May 28, berry fully ripe and uninjured. Not " buttoned." 
Several larvie dead, and one advanced to pupa. 

Experiment 7. 

Lygus pratensis L. 

May 25, placed ten pupce on nearly full-grown Crescent strawberries. 

Results. — May 31, berries no larger than when insects were placed on 
them, but are withered and prematurely ripe. No indication of "but- 
toning." Some of pupa? dead; others now grown to adults, alive and 

active. 

Experiment 8. 

Lygus pratensis L. 

]\Iay 26, placed larv.T on a half-grown Sharpless strawberry. 

Result. — June 7, berry not more than half as large as when insects 
were jdaced upon it; withered and black. Five of tlie larviie now pupae 
and still alive. 



56 

Experiment 9. 
Lygus pratensis L. 

May 29, jilaced twelve larvas and pup;T3 on three Crescent berries, 
varying from less than one-fourth to about one-third grown. 

Result. — June C, all three berries withered up, black, and dead. In 
one case only was there any indication that, had the berry continued to 
grow rapidly, a buttoned berry might have been formed. A few in- 
sects alive and either in pupal or adult stage. 

Experiment 10. 

Lygus pratensis L. 

May 31, placed twelve larvie on cluster of three Crescents, respect- 
ively one-fourth, one-third, and one-half grown. 
Result. — June 7, cluster killed. 

Experiment 11. 
Lygus pratensis L. 

May 31, jdaced four larvai on a one-third grown Orescent. 
Result. — June 6, killed also. 

Experiment 12. 

Lygus pratensis 1j. 

May 31, placed fourteen larv;e on a one-third grown Crescent. 
Result. — June!, killed. 

Experiment 13. 

Lygus pratensis L. 

June 1, placed ten larva'- and pupiie on a one-third grown Downing. 
Result. — June 5, withered and drying up. 

Experiment 14. 
Ijygus pratensis L. 

June 1, placed nine pupa? on a rather more than half-grown Kentucky. 

Result. — June 11, this berry made some growth after insects were 
confined upon it, and exhibits a tendency to " button," which, however, 
might or might not be due to the attack of the bugs. At this date the 
insects were ail dead, although several had reached the adult stage. 

Experiment 15. 

Lygus pratensis L. 

June 1, placed seventeen pupa*, on a nearly full-grown Kentucky. 
Result. — June 5, dried up. 



57 

Experiment 16. 
LyyuH pratensis L. 

Jane 1, placed six pupte on a less tban half-grown Kentucky. 
Result. — June 7, killed. 

Experiment 17. 

Ly<jus pratensis L. 

June 1, placed six pup* on Kentucky of about the same size as the 
preceding. 
Result. — June 7, seriously withered. 

Experiment 18. 

Lygus pratensis L. 

June 5, placed five pupai on a one-fourth grown Jersey Queen. 

Result. — June 21, berry seriously injured by being dwarfed, and it 
appeared to wither instead of ripen, although the plant was frequently 
watered. ]S"o indication of " buttoning." Insects dead, but they had 
lived to reach the adult stage. 

Experiment 10. 

Lygus pratensis L. 

June 5, placed four pupi^e on Jersey Queen as near as possible like 
the one used in Experiment 18. 

Result. — June 21, berry attained nearly full growth, not deformed, 
except by a few slight depressions in surface which could not be said 
to indicate buttoning. Does not look as fresh and healthy as those 
not under experiment. Bugs dead, but as adults. 

Experiment 20. 

Lygus praiensis L. 

June 5, placed three pupue on Jersey Queen of same size as the pre- 
ceding. 

Result. — June 11, berry smooth, ripened in normal condition, and 
seems uninjured. The insect escaped from this after being confined 
upon it for about one week. 

Experiment 21. 

Lygus pratensis L. 

June 5, four larvoB had, for several days previous, been clustered 
upon a Jersey Queen about the size of those used in the three preced- 
ing experiments. These bugs are now confined upon the berry. 



58 

Result. — June 21, being ripened in perfect condition, so far as form 
and freshness are concerned. Was a very little smaller than No. 20. 
Insects all dead, except one, which was in last larval stage. 

Note. — During June, 1885, three larvne, to all appearances of the 
same species as the preceding, took up their abode on a full-growu 
Orescent and remained there, voluntarily, until the latter was fully 
ripe, the young bugs being observed to feed upon the juices. No in- 
jury to the berry was in any way apparent. 

Experiment 22. 

Calocoris rapidus Say. 

June 8, confined four adults on as many heads of Fall Wheat, placing 
two insects together upon each two heads of grain, and covering as with 
the berries. 

Result. — June 21, kernels as plump as those ripening freely in the 
fields. The insects died some time between the IGth and 24:th. 

Experiment 23. 

EuscMstus JissiUs Uhl. 

June 8, i^laced same number of adults upon same number of heads of 
wheat and in same manner as in Experiment 22. 

Result. — June 24, a few kernels badly shrunken, but these do not 
amount to over G per cent. Bugs now dead, but were alive up to the 
20th. 

Experiment 24. 

Lyyus pratensis L. 

June 8, placed four adults as in the preceding experiment. 

Result. — June 21, kernels do not differ from those grown elsewhere in 
the field. One set of insects died on or about the 12th, the others 
between 16th and 20th. 

Experiment 25. 

Siphonophora avenw Fab. 

June 8, placed a number of adult females on heads of wheat as in the 
preceding. 
Result — June 24, kernels shriveled, discolored, and nearly worthless. 



NOTES FROM MISSOURI FOR THE SEASON OF 1886. 
By Mary E. Murtfeldt, Special Agent. 



LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL. 



KiRKWOOD, Mo., Decemher 1, 1886. 
Sir: I submit herewith the more important of my notes on the injurious insects of 
this locality, for 1886. 

MARY E. MURTFELDT. 
Prof. C. V. Riley, 

U. S. Entomologist, 

Climatically tlie past season was characterized by excess of moisture 
during May and June, followed by unusual drought and heat through- 
out July and August. That these extremes had a certain effect on the 
development of insect life is not to be questioned, and, in a general 
way, may be attributed to them the unusual numbers of all sorts of leaf- 
feeding aiul sap-sucking species early in the season, and a correspond- 
ing dearth of Lepidoptera and some families of Coleoptera later in the 
year. So great was the scarcity of nocturnal Lepidoptera in August 
and early September that one might sit evening after evening in a 
brightly-lighted room with open windows and not a single moth would 
appear. 

Tenthredinid larvcv were especially conspicuous during May and June. 
These included not only such familiar pests as the Rose, the Raspberry, 
and the Cherry slugs, tlie Birch and Willow False caterinllars, but sev- 
eral species on Ash, Oak, Elder, White-fringe, &c., which I have not 
yet reared to the perfect state. A peculiar and interesting species, de- 
termined by Professor Rile}^ from the larviie as Lyda cerasi, appeared 
in large numbers, in July, on Wild Cherry. This is a gregarious web- 
worm, and its colonies covered quite large branches with their brown, 
viscid webs, in which were mingled the castings and exuviae, forming, 
altogether unsightly and disgusting masses, which greatly disfigure 
the trees. 

Another S[)ecies of somewhat unique habit bores the new shoots of 
Roses, and for the past two years has proved quite injurious, especially 
to Hybrids and Teas. Its effects may be seen, late in June and early 
in July, in the blackened stems and withered leaves of the second 
growth, and the consequent destruction or prevention of the midsum- 
mer blooming. The larva is one-third of an inch in length, when full 
grown, by about one-twelfth inch in diameter, nearly equal throughout, 
except that it tapers abruptly toward the head. Color cream white, 

59 



60 

immaculate. Surface finely wrinkled transv^ersely, but without pilifer- 
0U8 waits or pubescence. Head small, round, amber-yellow with dark- 
brown, triaufiuhir or V-shaped spot on each side. Anal plate orbicular, 
slate-f^ray. Thoracic k\us same color as general surface ; i)rolegs im- 
perfectly developed. It bores from the tips of the shoots downward 
for an inch and a half or two inches, devouring everything but the 
cuticle and packing the frass at the upper end. When full grown it 
makes its exit through a round hole which it cuts at the lower end of 
its burrow, and, entering the earth, incloses itself in a tough, silken 
cocoon, in Avhich it remains dormant until the following spring. The 
single fly which I have thus far succeeded in rearing issued iu May, and 
is of the same size and ver3^ similar in appearance to the common Rose 
Slug fly {Selandria ros(v). Professor Riley says of it that "it appears 
to belong to the genus Ardis of tlie Sclandriida'.^^ 

Climbing Cutworms were a prominent feature of the entomological 
developments of the spring. These attacked the Oaks, Elms, and other 
shade trees, as well as Api)le, Pear, and Cherry trees and a variety of 
vines and shrubs. Among the species detected in their work of de- 
struction were Agrotis saucia, A. scandens, A. alternata and HonioJiadena 
hadistriga. Tlie grass under shade and fruit trees would often in the 
morning be thickly strewn with leaves and buds that had been severed 
during the night. This was especially noticeable under the various 
Oaks and Sweet Cherries. On a large, isolated specimen of the latter, 
up which a Trumpet vine had climbed, I took early iu May a great 
number of the larvai of Agrotis alternata. These mottled gray worms 
were found during the day extended longitudinally on the trunk, closely 
appressed to the stems of the Trumpet vine, where, i)rotected by their 
imitative coloring, it would bo impossible for an unpracticed eye to de- 
tect them and where even birds failed to find them. When ready to 
transform they descended to the earth and inclosed themselves in an 
ample, tough, dingy-white cocoon, under any slight protection that 
might be convenient. I also took this species from crevices of oak- 
bark and occasionally found one feeding in a rose. 

Canker Worm (Anisopteryxvernata, Peck). — Not for several years has 
this pest appeared iu such numbers in tbe orchards of this locality 
as during the past spring. Nor did the apple trees seem to recover 
from the excessive defoliation during the remainder of the season. The 
worms were especially numerous on trees around which the soil had 
not been stirred for a year or more. 

I noted this year a habit of this insect that has not, to my knowl- 
edge, been previously recorded, viz, that the worms, with great regu- 
larity, desert the leaves during the middle of the day and hide in the 
forks of the branches and on the trunk in crevices and under loose 
scales of the bark. As I did not at once discover this propensity in 
these larva', it puzzled me for some time to account for their scarceness 



61 

about noon, whereas iu the morning's and evenings the foliage would 
be crowded with them. Happening one day, while standing under an 
apple tree, to detach a loose scale of the bark I was surprised to find 
more than a dozen of the worms on the under side stretched out side 
by side in a. close cluster. An examination of the bark revealed the 
fact that almost every scale harbored a larger or smaller company of 
the worms. Nor was there any evidence of their having sought these 
I'etieats merely for the purpose of molting, as they were of all sizes and 
ages, and besides an examination a few hours later disclosed them rap- 
idly looping themselves up into the tree, as though in haste to begin 
their nightly banquet. Observation for several successive days estab- 
lished the foct of their habitual desertion of the foliage during the hot- 
test hours of the day and of their return to it as evening approached. 
As the infested trees had not been smoothed for some time, and the 
trunks were rather " shaggy," advantage was taken of this discovery to 
have them cleaned about noonday and thousands of the sluggish worms 
were thus scraped off with the scales of bark and burned. 

The Codling IMotli was more than usually destructive to the apple 
crop througliout the West, destroying in many localities fully 75 per 
cent, of the fruit, and in not one orchard in a hundred were any meas- 
ures taken to destroy the pest or i^rcvent its spread. 

The Broad-necked Itoot- borer {Prion us laticollis, Drnry) proved con- 
siderably destructive to j'oung nursery stock iu some parts of the State. 
In some sections of young apple trees sent me it was found to have 
worked up into the trunk for a distance of 4 or 5 inches. 

Leaf-hoppers of various kinds were noticeably abundant during mid- 
summer. Of these, two species of Fulgorids, Flata conicd^ Say, and 
Poeciloptera pruinosa, Say, attracted much attention on shrubs and 
herbaceous plants, some of which were seriously injured by them. 

The former species I observed chietly on Osage Orange and Lilac. 
The larvie are scarcely distinguishable from those of P. pruinosa, being 
of the same bug-like form and greenish- white color and thickly cov- 
ered and surrounded by the white-tufted, sweetish secretion peculiar to 
the group. The pup;e of the two species differ widely, that oi pruinosa 
retaining the pale color and flattened form of the larvaand continuing 
to cover itself with the fibrous exudation. The pupa3 of F. conica, on the 
contrary, assume au angular, humped, somewhat beech-nut-like form, a 
grayish-brown color, and a more horny texture, while the white secretion 
is limited to two feathery tufts at the tail. The perfect insect of this 
species is a deep yellow-green, and with its broad moth like wings and 
crimson eyes it is a beautiful object. It is always gregarious, but es- 
pecially so iu its perfect state, and I have often seen shoots of the 
Osage Orange crowded with this insect ranged in close ranks for a dis- 
tance of 18 inches or 2 feet and presenting a most unique and not unat- 
tractive appearance. T[ie2)rui)iosa species is somewhat smaller and is 



62 

also pretty in its powdery suit of pearl-gray and white. It attacks 
almost all kinds of vegetation ; but was found last summer to be espe- 
cially destructive to the foliage and stalks of the Dahlia in one garden 
in Kirkwood, injuring the plants beyond recovery. As it inhabits the 
under side of the leaves, for the most part, and its punctures cause 
these to curl somewhat, it is difficult to reach it with insecticides, but 
applications of air slacked lime and sprayiug with an infusion of Pyre- 
thrum will kill or dislodge it. 

Halticus paUiconiis is becoming every year more of a pest in this lo- 
cality on Clover and many kinds of garden plants. Its punctures cause 
the leaves to turn yellow and present an appearance similar to those 
infested by Red Spider. 

The F\edAikel^egYO-hug{GorimeUvnapuUcaria) also this year attacked 
Compositte and Hollyhocks with great virulence. 

Acoloithus falsarim — a cougener of the well known Procris ameri- 
cana — appeared on all varieties of the Grape in July in such numbiTs 
as to merit some attention from the economic entomologist. The larvic 
are not found in comi)auies feeding in regular ranks, as is the lialjit 
of P. amcricana, although several are often seen on the same leaf. 
This species feeds exclusively on the upper surface, gnawing ofi' the 
parenchyma in irregular patches. The handsome little larva, when full 
grown, is about three eighths of an inch in length by rather more than 
one eighth inch in diameter. The form is dei)ressed', almost rectan- 
gular. The surface is velvety and prettily checkered in dull orange or 
fulvous, yellow, and two or three shades of purple. Medio-dorsal lino 
fine, interrupted, dark i)ur[)le, on each side of which is a broad stripe 
of orange outlined in pale yellow, the dark color being most intense in 
the center of each square, where, under the lens, is situated a little 
tuft of silky hairs. The lateral stripe is similar, but contains a larger 
proportion of purple. A purple band extends transversely across the 
fourth and ninth segments. The depth of this coloring is quite variable, 
some larv-iie being very much paler and less distinctly variegated than 
others. The under surface and legs are translucent, velvety, white, 
with a tinge of green. Head very small, brown and retracted under 
the projecting edge of first segment. It incloses itself when ready to 
change in a fold of a leaf or between two leaves in a flat flesh-tinted 
silken cocoon covered externally with lime-like granulations. The moth 
escapes in about two weeks and is dull black with orange collar like P. 
amcricana, but it is considerably smaller than the latter. A slight dust- 
ing with Pyrethrum powder caused the larvic to drop from the leaves, 
and this will probably x)rove one of the best remedies where this insect 
has become unduly abundant. 

The Saddle-back Caterpillar {Eniprefia stlmulea) is known to feed on a 
variety of trees and other plants, but I have seen no record of its oc- 
currence on Soft Maple. 



6a 

Late iu August of the present year I found quite a colony, probably 
teu or twelve, on a single leaf of the above-mentioned tree. They had 
but recently hatched, but tiny as they were — not more than an eighth 
of an inch in length — they had all the tubercles and other character- 
istics of the mature larva, except that the saddlecloth-like spot was 
deep yellow instead of green and the central dorsal spot pinkish-gray. 
They had perforated the leaf with small irregular holes. Not thinking 
that they would readily loosen their hold on the leaf, I carried it care- 
lessly in my hand, and when I reached the house was much disappointed 
to find that but two larviie remained on it. As these thrived and per- 
fected their development to the point of inclosing themselves in cocoons, 
it is evident that Maple maybe included in the list of their food-plants. 

The Cottony Mai)lc Scale {Pulvinaria immmerahiUs). This insect has 
not been troublesome iu this part of Missouri since 1884; but in and 
around liockford. 111., I learned that it had been so abundant on the 
Soft Maples for three successive seasons as to kill many young trees 
outiight and greatly injure the older ones. I was told that the side- 
walks shaded by these trees became so defiled and slippery from the 
exudations of the scale insect that it was difficult and unpleasant to 
walk on them. The citizens had consequently conceived a prejudice 
against the Soft Maple, and many were being cut down or dug up and 
replaced by other trees. 

A new Leaf-bug on Maple {Lyons monachus Uhler, n. sp.).* — This bug 
came under my notice for the first time late in the spring of 1882 in- 
festing the growing x^oints of young Soft Maples {Acer dasycarpuvi). 
Most of the insects were at that time mature, but two or three pupse 
were found, enough to indicate that the leaves of the maple had been 
their breeding place. A lew specimens were taken, but, as the insect 
"was not present in sufficient numbers to give it importance as an injuri- 
ous species, not much attention was i)aid to it. During several succeed- 
ing springs I occasionally came across a mature siiecimen — which, from 
its exceeding agility, both in running and flying, generally evaded capt- 

* Mr. Uhler has given us the followiug description of this new Lygicid : 
Lycjus monachus n. sp. — Long-oval, pale green or testaceous, coarsely punctate 
above, sericeous pubescent. Face convex, highly polished, bald; base of vertex with 
a longitudinal impressed line, towards which a similar line runs obliquely each side 
from the inner corner of the eyes; antcnnte sparsely and minutely pubescent, basal 
joint thickest, a little longer than the head, tapering at base, second joint thrice as 
long as the basal, infuscated and a little enlarged towards the tip, third and fourth 
setaceous, together not as long as the second. Pronotum highly iiolished, convex, 
coarsely punctate iu transverse wavy lines, each side with a darli brown vifta, or 
long spot ; lateral margin smooth, callous at base, the humeral angles subacute, cal- 
losities prominent, convex, almost confluent on the middle ; lateral flap of pronotum 
irregularly punctate. Pectoral pieces pale, impuuctate. Legs pale green, feebly 
pubescent; apex of posterior femur usually with one or two fuscous bauds, tip of 
tarsi and the nails black. Scutellum moderately convex, excavated at base, trans- 
versely obsolete-punctate, more or less infuscated. Corium coarsely, transversely 
rostrate-punctate, the clavers more or less infuscated, sometimes with all but the 



G4 

ure — but it was not niitil the present season that the maples were in- 
fested to such an extent as to injure and disfigure them. 

Just as the leaves were beginning' to put forth, close observation re- 
vealed the fact that they were all more or less stippled with transparent 
spots, some mere dots, others a tentli of an inch or more in diameter. 
As the leaves expanded the delicate cuticle of the upper surface would 
give way and they presented the appearance of being perforated with 
holes and much torn and tattered along the margin, marring their 
beauty for the entire season. If, about the 1st of May, the leaves were 
(jarefully examined, there woukl be found on the under surface of eacli 
irom two or three to a dozen or more very delicate bugs of a very pale 
translucent green color, the embryo wing-pads being almost white. 
They were further characterized by very long and sleader legs, beak 
and anteunjB, body flat and broad oval in outline ; head small, eyes rel- 
atively large, oblong and bright red-brown in color. The larvae varied 
in size from one-tweutietli to one-eighth inch in length, and so far as 1 
could discover there were but two larval molts. Scattered about over 
the leaves were small, round, translucent green eggs rather larger than 
a Portulaca seed. The pupal form was precisely like the larval, except 
in point of size and relative development of the wiug-i)ads. When the 
under side of a leaf was turned up for examination the bags, large and 
small, would dart, on their hair like legs, to the reversed surface, mov- 
ing with the greatest rapidity and sometimes dropping to the ground 
in their evident desire to escape observation. The final transformation 
occurred about the middle of May, after which the companies dispersed. 
The species is a pretty one, although, from the glassy texture of the en- 
tire hemelytra and the general delicacy of coloring, it always has a 
somewhat immature appearance. 

This bug happily lacks the disagreeable odor so common to the species 
of this suborder and which pertains even to most of its closest allies. 

Absence from Kirkwood after the middle of May somewhat inter- 
rupted my observations on this insect. On my return, early in June, 

margius covered with dark brow u ; corium usiiallj^ with a transverse, dark-brown 
arc next the posterior border; canons long and wide, the incised base fnscous, and the 
inner margin brown ; membrane pale testaceons, with two or more dark clouded spots , 
the inner snbniargin of the principal areole, a spot at its tip and the base next the 
cnnens all more or less fnscous. Venter pale greenish. 

Length of body, female, 5"""; to tip of wing covers, 7"""; width of pronotum, 2""". 

Male, length of body, 4'""^ ; to tip of wing covers, 5^'"'" ; width of pronotum. If""". 

This has proved to bo a very common insect in various localities. 

Mr. Cassino collected numerous specimens around Peabody, Mass. Mr. Bolter sent 
to me a pair from Illinois and Missouri ; and I have taken it from Alders, Maples, and 
many other kinds of small trees and shrubs on Cape Ann, Mass., also near the base of 
the White Mountains, aTid in New Hampshire, and near Quebec, Canada. 

Mr. Forbes has also forwarded to me specimens from near Normal, III. 

It resembles Lijfius uivUuh Say, and presents several of the color varieties common to 
that specifs; but it is a much larger insect, of a longer figure, and has a more flattened 
upper surface. — P. R. Uhler. 



65 

only a few of the mature bugs remained among the curled and torn 
leaves on which they had developed. Occasionally throughout the sum - 
mer a specimen would be met with, as often on the foliage of any other 
tree as on maple, but there was no second brood. This species, unlike 
Cajjsus ohlineatus, is never to my knowledge found on flowers. It prob- 
ably secretes itself early in the season and becomes dormant until the 
following spring. 

The only remedial applications experimented with were Pyrethrum 
powder and air-slacked lime, both of which were measurably effective, 
judging by the small scale on which they were tried. 
17528—^0. 13 —5 



APICULTURAL EXPERIMENTS. 
By Kelson W. McLain, Special Agent. 

INTRODUCTORY NOTE. 

The following article is extracted from Mr. McLain's annual report for 1886, tho 
major part of whicli is published in the Annual Report of the Department for that 
year. 

C. V. R. 

PREPARING BEES FOR WINTER. 

Bees instinctively begin to make preparations for winter somewhat 
earlier in the season than is commonly supposed. In preparing for 
winter, as in all other matters relating to bee-keeping, the apiarist should 
see to it that the method of management is as nearly as possible in 
agreement with the instinct and habits of the bee» When bees build 
their combs after their own design, as in box hives, spaces are left be- 
tween wide enough to admit of elongating the cells in order that a large 
share of the winter stores may be placed in the top of the hive, easily 
accessible in the severest weather. I find it good practice to widen the 
spaces between the comb-frames near the close of the honey-gathering 
season, in order that the bees may, by elongating the cells, place a large 
share of the winter store above the cluster. 

As soon as the storing of surplus honey is done the condition of every 
colony should be examined, the amount and character of the winter 
food ascertained, the number of comb-frames, and the size of the apart- 
ment should be determined by and adapted to the wants of each colonj'. 
After the supply of winter stores has been equalized among all the colo- 
nies, if the supplj" is insufiScient, feeding should be done before the 
advent of cold nights. 

Bees expected to perform the function of hibernation should not be 
too old nor yet too young. Both queen and worker bees should be in 
full physical vigor.. The bees constituting the colony, when placed in 
winter quarters, should be such as are hatched after the midsummer 
working season is past, and before the bees cease flying freely in the 
tall. 

Towards the close of the working season the workers instinctively 
cease stimulating the queen for oviproduction ; gradually the bees cease 
flying, and the cluster is formed for winter. After the cluster is formed 
the colony should remain undisturbed. If the bees are to be packed on 
the summer stand the work should be done with care, and without dis- 
66 



67 

turbiug the bees, and before tbe temperature at night reaches tbe freez- 
ing jjoint. If the bees are to be placed in a damp or iu cellar or winter 
repository, great care should be taken not to disturb the cluster when 
the hives are removed from the summer stand. I have found woolen 
quilts or woolen blankets the best covering for winter. Wool, better 
than any other material which 1 have tried, prevents the radiation of 
heat, and j^ermits the escape of moisture, thus securing warmth and dry- 
ness. Hives should be placed 18 inches above the bottom of the cellar 
or winter rejjository, and in tiering them up one above another it ig 
better that they rest on a rack prepared for the hive rather than one 
upon another. 

My report for 1885 covers the period from June 1 to November 25, 
when the severity of the weather forbade further out-of-door experi- 
ments. As nearly all the colonies in the aj^iary had been subjected to 
very frequent, almost daily, disturbance and annoyance incidental to 
tlie experimental purposes for which they had been used, they were, 
almost without exception, in very poor condition for jjassing into winter 
quarters. November 25 I packed twenty colonies for out-door winter- 
ing. Notwithstanding the lateness of the season, and the altogether 
unsatisfactory condition of the bees when packed, eighteen of the colo- 
nies wintered fairly well. These twenty colonies were provided with 
dry sawdust packing 8 inches thick on the sides, and covered with a 
quilt and dry forest leaves to the depth of 8 inches on top of the frames. 
A rim 2 inches wide is placed under the body box of the hive, making 
a 2-inch space under the bottom bar of the comb-frames. A covered 
tunnel leads from the hive entrance through the packing. This i^ack- 
iag is left on the hive until warm weather is assured, thus guarding 
against danger from chilling of the brood when building up the colo- 
nies rapidly in early spring. The hive should incline from b ack to front 
permitting the moisture to flow out at the entrance. 

I placed ten colonies in the cellar from which the hive covers were 
removed and the frames covered with woolen and cotton quilts. These 
were used for observation and experiment during the winter. Eight of 
the ten came through the winter alive, but being subjected to a wider 
range of temperature, and being very frequently annoyed and disturbed, 
their vitality was very low, and the old bees, of which most of these 
colonies were comjDOsed fell easy victims to spring dwindling. 

HIBERNATION. 

For the purpose of determining the degree of temperature in a dry 
cellar necessary to secure the minimum of functional activity within the 
hive during the period of hibernation, I framed comb-frames across each 
other at right angles, and into these frames I fitted and fastened combs 
filled with choice sealed honey. These were suspended in hives having 
glass sides and top, exposing the cluster to view from all sides and from 
the top. Removable wooden doors covered the glass. 



68 

My observatious covered a period of ninety days from December 1, 
1885, aud iucluded a rauge of temperature from zero to 65*^ F. The 
hives were placed in a darlc apartment, and an oil stove with a radiator 
was used for heating. Different degrees of temperature were maintained 
for several consecutive hours, and, as occasion required, for consecutive 
days, and careful observations were taken. 

At a range of temperature from 48° to 52° F., according to the humid- 
ity of the atmosphere in the cellar, bees, according to a rule of nature, 
enter into the hibernating state. After repeated trials over a wide 
range of temperature, at 41° F. I found the shape of the cluster most 
permanent. While that degree of temperature was maintained, little 
change in the shape or location of the clusters could be seen, and func- 
tional activity on the part of individnal bees, and of the whole colony 
as well, seemed to have reached the minimum degree of manifestation, 
even respiration seemed to be suspended. The change in the form of 
the cluster was determined by outline drawings on paper. The colonies 
jiresented substantially the same outline for days together when a uni- 
form temperature of 41° was maintained. I placed some colonies in a 
darkened building late in the fall of the year, and when the temperature 
was 40° F. natural heat on a dry day above ground, the same phenom- 
ena were observed. 

The temperature of the cellar was lowered b^' admitting the air through 
an outer room, so that no perceptible currents entered the apartment 
where the bees were kept. The degree of unrest and activity increased 
in proportion as the temperature neared the «ero point. Thirtj'-seven 
degrees F. in a very dry cellar is a danger point, the danger increasing 
in proportion as the temperature is lowered or the humidity of the at- 
mosphere is increased. 

The degree of activity shown by bees when the temperature in the 
repository or cellar is 44° F. is not much greater than at 41°, all other 
conditions being the same. 

At intervals of about one week tlie bees arouse to activity, the form 
of the cluster changes, aud after three or four hours of cheerful and 
contented humming, having in the mean time appeased their hunger, the 
cluster is reformed into a compact body, the humming ceases, respira- 
tion becomes slow, profound silence reigns in the hive until change of 
temperature or the demands of hunger rouse the bees from the coma 
in which they have been bound. The more perfect the conditions for 
hibernation the longer the periods of inactivity. 

As the activity of bees is not much greater when the temperature 
in the cellar or repository is steadily maintained at 44 degrees than it 
is at 41 degrees, and as 41 degrees is too near the danger point, I find 
it safer to keep the temperature in dry winter repositories, whether 
above or below ground, at 44° F., and I find it better that the variation 
from the standard degree of 41° F. should be in proportion of 2 degrees 
above rather than 1 degree below. If the repository be damp a degree 



69 

of temperature higher iu proportion to the dampness shoukl be main- 
tained. The hive shoukl incline from back to front, and the entrance 
shoukl be lett wide open. 

It has been the practice of many to raise the temperature in winter 
repositories in order to stimulate breeding toward the close of the hi- 
bernating period. I have tried this, and in my experience I find it better 
to maintain as nearly as possible an even temperature until the bees 
may be safely placed on the summer stands. What is gained in early 
breeding is more than lost in the waste of vitality on the j)art of the 
older bees. In the case of bees wintered on the summer stands or in a 
clamp, the packing of dry forest leaves, chaff, or sawdust j)laced above 
the quilt should be closely packed about the edges, and should be from 
7 to 12 inches in thickness. Indeed it would be difiBcult to get the 
packing above the cluster too deep, iirovided the ventilation above the 
packing is sufficient to carry off moisture. 

SPRING DWINDLING. 

For preventing spring dwindling, and building up colonies to maxi- 
mum strength and efficiency at the beginning of the working season — 
for success iu honey-producing largely depends on having strong colo- 
nies ready for work at the very time when efficient work may be done — 
I prepared a bee-food containing the elements essential in brood-rear- 
ing. This food is prepared after the following formnla: 

To 10 pounds of sugar I add half a pint of dairy salt, 2 tablespoonfuls 
bicarbonate of soda, 2 tablespoonfuls rye flour, 2 tablespoonfuls finely 
powdered bone ash, and 1 tablespoonful cream tartar. Mix thoroughly, 
then add 2 quarts hot water, and stir until thoroughly dissolved, and 
let the mixture boil, but only 2 or 3 minutes. I feed this food in the 
hive as honey or sirup is usually fed, thereby keeping all the bees at 
home to aid iu keeping up the temperature in the hive, thus reserving 
their vitality for performing the functions of brood-rearing, instead of 
speedily wearing out their remaining strength in roaming the fields in 
search of the elements essential to larval growth. 

The bone ash is prepared by burning dry bones to a white ash, which 
I pulverize and sift through a sieve made from fine wire strainer cloth. 
As this food is not intended for use until after the bees have had a good 
flight in the spring, almost any grade of sugar or dark low-grade honey 
may be supplied for brood-rearing. 

The rapidity with which a colony consisting of a mere handful of bees 
may be built up to full strength and working efficiency by using this 
preparation is surprising. Only as much as is needed for immediate 
consumption should be frequently supplied, and it should be fed only 
to prevent spring dwindling, or when it is desirable to quickly increase 
the numerical strength of the colony in anticipation of a honey harvest? 
or to recruit the vigor and strength of the colony by rearing young bees 
after the working season, and prior to going into winter quarters. 



70 

BEES VS. FRUIT. 

I Lave, according" to your instructions, repeated my exiieriments of 
last year for testing the capacity of bees, under exceptional circum- 
stances, to injure fruit; adding such other tests and observations as 
the very severe and i^rotracted drought j)ermitted. The house used last 
season, 10 feet by IG feet in size, having sides partly covered with wire 
cloth and large screen doors in each end, was used again this year. 
Two colonies of Italian bees, two of hybrids, one of Caucasians, and 
two of Syrians were confined in this house. 

These colonies were without food in their hives and at intervals of 
three or four days were fed a little sirup for the purpose of keeping up 
their vigor and to prevent dying from starvation. A wood-stove was 
placed in the house and a high temperature was maintained for a num- 
ber of hours each day. 

The conditions incident to an unusually severe and protracted drought 
were present within and without. The bees were repeatedly brought to 
the stages of hunger, thirst, and starvation, the test continuing for 40 
days. 

Through the favor of Mr. T. T. Lyon, president of the Michigan State 
Horticultural Society, I obtained thirteen varieties of choice grapes 
from A. G. Gulley, of South Haven. Every inducement and oppor- 
tunity was afforded the bees to appease their hunger and thirst by 
attacking the fruit which was placed before them. Some of the bunches 
of grapes were dipped in sirup and hung in the hives between the 
the combs, some phiced before the hives on plates, and grapes were 
suspended in clusters from the i)Osts and rafters. The bees lapped and 
sucked all the sirup fiom the skins, leaving the berries smooth. 

They daily visited the grapes in great numbers and took advantage of 
every crack in the epidermis or opening at the stem, appropriating to 
their use every drop of juice exuding therefrom, but they made no at- 
temi)t to grasp the cuticle with their mandibles or claws. I removed the 
epidermis carefully from dozens of grapes of various kinds and placed 
them on plates before the hives. The bees lapped up all the juice on the 
outside of the film surrounding the segments of the grape, leaving this 
delicate film dry and shining, but through and beyond this film they 
were not able to penetrate. I punctured the skins of grapes of all 
kinds by passing needles of various sizes through the grape and placed 
these before the bees. The needles used were in size from a fine cam- 
bric needle to a packing needle. The amount of juice appropriated 
was in proportion to the size of the opening in the skins and the num- 
ber of segments of the grape broken. The same was true in the case 
of grapes burst from over-ripeness. Bees are not only unable to pene- 
trate the epidermis of the grape, but they also appear to be unable, 
even when impelled by the direst necessity, to penetrate the film sur- 



71 

rounding the berry even after the epidermis is removed. Grapes so 
prepared without exception laid before the hives until dried up. If 
but one segment of a grape be broken by violence or by over-ripeness, 
the bees are unable to reach the juice beyond the film separating the 
broken from the unbroken segments until further violence or decay 
permits an entrance for the tongue. Clusters of sound grapes which I 
hung between the comb frames in hives occupied by strong colonies 
were unbroken and sound after fifteen days' exposure in the hives. 
The skins were polished smooth, but none were broken. I also stopped 
up the entrance to several hives — containing good-sized colonies — in 
the apiary and in the wire-covered house, by pushing sound grapes into 
the opening, so close together that the bees could not j^ass through. 
B3' this means the bees were confined to the hives for days in succes- 
sion, not being able to break down and remove the grapes, and 
although the skins of the grapes next the inside of the hive were j)ol- 
ished smooth none were broken or injured. 

The past season furnished an excellent opportunity to observe the 
capacity of bees, under so exceptional circumstances, to injure fruit, for 
the drought was very exceptional both in duration and severity, and I 
was called to several places by fruit-growers to witness the proof that 
bees were '' tearing open the skins of the grapes " and otherwise behav- 
ing in a manner altogether unworthy of an insect enjoying a wide rep- 
utation for virtue and orderly living. In each instance I succeeded in 
convincing the fruit-grower that the bees were simply performing the 
office of gleaners ; that violence from other sources, or over-ripeness 
and decay had preceded the bees, and that he would be acting the part 
of wisdom in following the example of the bees in gathering the grapes 
before further violence, or the action of the elements, rendered them 
worthless. 

After grapes have been subjected to such violence, or have so far 
burst open and decayed as to make it possible for bees to Injure them, 
and the circumstances are so exceptional as to lead the bees to seek 
such food, unless they are speedly gathered they would soon become 
worthless if unmolested. During the past season I made many visits 
to vineyards, one located near the apiary I visited every daj^, and my 
observations and experience with bees in confinement and those having 
free access to the vineyards furnishes abundant proof to convince me 
that bees do not and cannot under any circumstances injure sound fruit* 
If from any cause the pulp is exposed, such as the attack of birds or 
wasps — the most common source of injury — or from the ovipositing of 
insects, or bursting of the berry from over-ripeness, and if no other re- 
sources are available, the bees appropriate and carry away the juice, 
and the extent of the injury depends upon the degree to which the pulp 
is exposed, the sweetness of the juice, and the number and necessities 
of the bees. 



72 

BEE FORAGE. 

If excelleuce in the bee is the chief factor in successful honey produc- 
ing, next in logical order is abundant, persistent, and cheap bee-pastur- 
age. Abundant pasturage is the amount necessary to satisfy the re- 
quirements of the number of colonies kept within a given area. Persist- 
ent pasturage is that which coutemphites a variety of perennial honey 
bearing flora of hardy constitution and rugged habits whose terms of 
blooming follow each other in succession continuously from early spring 
to late fall, thus lengthening out the season in which bees may gather 
surplus honey. Cheap bee-pasturage may be such as is furnished from 
natural sources produced in forests or by self-propagating plants grow- 
ing in waste places or upon lands of little value and requiring little or 
no labor. Or cheap bee-pasturage may be secured bj^ cultivating fruits 
and field crops, the blossoms of which are valuable for honey bearing. 

As the forests of the country disappear and the waste lands are being- 
reclaimed, as the necessity for other honey-producing resources is felt, as 
the industry assumes more importance and as the influence of competi- 
tion is more sharply felt, great interest is shown in the subject of bee- 
pasturage. The number of days in each year in which bees can gather 
and store surplus honey will not average, except in exceptionally fa. 
vored localities, above thirty or thirty-five days; the remaining time and 
energies of the bees being employed in gathering sufficient for the sus- 
tenance of the colony, and enforced idleness or non-productiveness. En- 
forced idleness, and the consequent waste of time, stores, and energies 
sometimes result from a failure of the flowers to secrete nectar, even 
though honey-bearing flowers are blooming in abundance, but usually 
the reason why the time is so short in which bees are able to store sur- 
plus honey is the lack of abundant pasturage. 1 have not had the time 
or the means to devote to bee-forage that the importance of the subject 
demands, but I have made a beginning in this department of experi- 
mental work w^hich I hope to continue. Among all the trees and shrubs 
which are cultivated generally throughout the United States by fruit- 
growers, the raspberry is commonly conceded to possess more value to 
bee-keepers than any other. A quarter of a mile from this station a 
market gardener has 4 acres of raspberries. These bushes continued 
to bloom forten days, and during that time, with the exception of two or 
three rainy days, a continuous procession of bees could be observed go- 
ing and returning to and from the apiary, and a fine showing of honey 
was made in the hives and the honey was of superior qualit3\ 

On account of the superior quality of its nectar, the ease with which 
the plant is propagated, its adaptation to all kinds of soil and its value 
as a forage i)laut for grazing, white clover has, until of late years, stood 
without a rival in the estimation of honey-producers. About twenty 
years ago Alsike or Swedish clover was introduced into this country, 



73 

and since then has been thoroughly tested both as a honey plant and 
also for hay and pasture for all kinds of stock. 

Mr. J. M. Hicks, of Battle Ground, Ind., says : " Alsike Clover has 
no superior as a honey-producing plant, yielding the best and richest 
honey known, and as a hay crop it is not surpassed, often producing 3 
tons of good hay per acre. The steins and stalks are much fiuer than 
those of common red clover, and cattle, horses, and sheep feast on it, 
eatiug it clean without waste. As a pasture of all kinds of stock it has 
no equal. It will grow on all kinds of land, clay, or sandy, and does not 
freeze out as easily as red clover. It is quite similar to red clover in 
appearance. The first crop each season is the seed crop. The seed is 
about one-third the size of red clover and 4 pounds is sufiQcient to sow 
an acre. The bloom is a beautiful pale pink color. I have no hesitancy 
in saying that Alsike Clover will produce 500 pounds of the richest and 
best honey per acre in a good season. I would recommend every bee- 
keeper to sow at least a few acres of Alsike Clover." Mr. W. Z. Hutch- 
inson, of Rogersville, Mich., says that it will pay to raise Alsike Clover 
for honey alone upon land worth $50 per acie. 

Mr. C. M. Goodspeed, of Thorn Hill, N. Y., says : " I have grown Alsike 
on my farm and watched its habits closely. It is very hardy, of extra 
quality as hay and a heavy seeder, reaching in rare cases 10 bushels 
per acre. In this locality the second growth seldom yields much honey, 
but the first growth just swarms with bees for about three weeks, or 
from the time the rich blossoms open until the seed is ripe. In my lo- 
cality it begins to yield honey shortly after white clover and continues 
well into the bass-wood season. It yields twice as much honey as white 
or red clover." Mr. D. A. Jones, of Beeton, Ontario, says : " I think 
too much can scarcely be said of Alsike as a hay and honey crop, and 
many of our farmers are waking up to the fact that it is to their inter- 
est to cultivate it largely in preference to almost any other crop. Red 
Clover will soon be a thing of the past, as Alsike seed is now in great 
demand, not only for seeding purposes but also for use in dyeing. I am 
informed that large quantities are being shipped to Europe for that 
use." Mr. A. I. Root, of Medina, Ohio, and Mr. L. C. Root, of Mohawk, 
N. Y., both speak of Alsike as the most valuable variety of clover for 
hay and pasturage and recommend its cultivation as being of the first 
importance to bee-keepers. Statements testifying to the unequaled 
value of Alsike Clover, both for hay and grazing purposes, and as a 
most valuable honey -bearing plant, might be indefinitely multiplied. I 
cannot too strongly urge the bee-keepers of the United States to pro- 
vide abundance of this forage for their bees, both by sowing the seed 
on their own premises and also by inducing their neighbors to cultivate 
this variety of clover as the best for all purposes. 

Sweet Clover {Mellilotus alha) abounds in this locality. This is a 
hardy plant, of wondrous persistence, continuing in bloom from about 
July 1 until killed by frost. It is adapted to almost any kind of soil. 



74 

In tliis part of Illinois it grows in rich soil by the wayside, or in de- 
serted stone quarries with equal luxuriance. As the plant will grow 
without any cultivation in by-ways and waste places, wherever the seed 
can obtain a foothold, and is a perennial, it is rightly reckoned among 
the number of excellent and cheap bee-forage plants. Sweet Clover will 
endure drought well. During the long drought of last season bees in this 
neighborhood would have been entirely without resources for many 
weeks together had it not been for Sweet Clover. The quality of the 
honey is excellent, and under ordinary conditions the yield is altogether 
satisfactory. Much apprehension has been felt among farmers lest it 
become a noxious weed. Observing how readily the seed is carried 
in the mud on wagon wheels and horses' feet in the spring, when the 
roads are bad and the entire space in the highways is used for travel, 
belief has obtained that the fields would soon be invaded. Careful 
and continuous observation of the facts for five years past has convinced 
me that fears of trouble from this source are groundless. In but one 
instance have I seen Sweet Clover invade a plowed field, and that was 
for a distance of 3 rods on both sides of an old road leading into the 
field and the seed had been carried in on wagon wheels. This plant 
being a biennial is easily exterminated when desirable. I would recom- 
mend bee-keepers to provide abundance of this forage by scattering the 
seed in waste places and by the roadside. Sweet Clover is much more 
sightly and useful, and less objectionable, in every way, than the weeds 
which ordinarily cover the roadsides. 

Pleurisy-Eoot {Asclepias tuherosa) is a honey-bearing plant indigenous 
to nearly all parts of the United States, but its growth has not been 
encouraged for the reason that its value to the honey-producer has not 
been generally known. The plant is a perennial ; the top dies and rots, 
a new growth springing up each year. It is commonly regarded as a 
harmless prairie weed. The deep red blossoms hang in clusters. The 
plant is very hardy and of a rugged growth, growing luxuriantly in all 
kinds of soil. The honey is of the finest quality both as to color and 
flavor. Mr. James Heddon, of Dowagiac, Mich., speaking of Pleurisy, 
says : " If there is any plant, to the growing of which good land may be 
exclusively devoted for the sole purpose of honey production, I think it 
is this; I would rather have one acre of it than three of Sweet Clover. 
It blooms through July and the first half of August, and bees never 
desert Pleurisy for bass-wood or anything else. The blossoms always 
look bright and fresh, and yield honey continuously in wet and dry 
weather. Bees work on it in the rain, and during the exce ssive drought 
of the past season it did not cease to secrete nectar in abundance." I 
have had some observation and experience with the plant, and, having 
secured seed, I expect to test it in different kinds of soil next season. 

For two years past I have cultivated a plot of Motherwort (Leomirus 
cardiaca), and I prize it highly as a honey plant. Bees work on it con- 
tinually all day, and every day, unless it is raining quite hard. The 



75 

summer of 1885 it continued in bloom six weeks. Last summer it 
bloomed but was soon ruined by drought. At the annual meeting of 
the North American Bee-Keepers' Association held in Detroit in De- 
cember, 1885, a committee, of which I was a member, was appointed by 
the association to investigate the merits of a new plant being cultivated 
by Mr. Chapman, of Versailles, J^. Y., who was present and repre- 
sented that the plant was of unusual value to honey-producers. Being 
instructed by you so to do, I met with other members of that committee 
at Versailles on the 28th of July. I herewith inclose a copy of the re- 
port which I prepared in behalf of that committee, together with a letter 
of Mr. A. E. Manum, president of the' Vermont Bee-Keepers' Associa- 
tion, which I presented to the North American Bee-Keepers' Associa- 
tion at its annual meeting held in Indianapolis, Ind., October 12, 13, 14, 
1886. 

My experience with the plants furnished for observation at this sta- 
tion was nearly identical with that of Mr. Manum. Fifty-two plants 
arrived here by express, fifty-one of which came to maturity. Plants 
were furnished to Prof. A. J. Cook, Lansing, Mich.; T. F. Bingham, 
Abronia, Mich. ; W. F. Clarke, Guelph, Ontario, and Mr. Van Dom, 
Omaha, Nebr., each of whom highly recommend It as possessing un- 
usual value as a bee-forage plant. 



IISTDEX. 



Acer dasycarpum, 63 
Acidalia, 26 

Acoloithus falsarius, 62 
Acriilium frontalis, 11 
Adelges abieticolens, 21 

abietis, 21 
Agrotis altemata, 60 
scandens, 60 
saucia, 60 
Alder Flea-beetle, 24 

Insects infesting, 20 
Leaf-roller, 25 
Aletia xylina, 11 

Alum water, as an insecticide, 33 
Alwood, Wm. B., Report by, 38 
Aniphydasis cognataria Guen., 29 

Food-plant, 29 

Larva before last molt, 30 

Life-history, 29 

ilature larva, 30 

Moth, 30 

Pupa, 30 

Young larva, 30 
Anisopteryx vernata, 60 
Apanteles congregatus, 53 

glomeratus, 50, 52 
Aphis maidis, 51 
Apicnltural experiments, 66 

Bee-forage, 72 

Bees vs. Fruit, 70 

Hibernation, 67 

Preparing bees for winter, 66 

Spring dwindling, 69 
Ardis, 60 
Ash Saw-fly, 33 
Beech Span-worm, 28 
Benzine, 43 

Effect of, upon Cabbage-lice, 43 
Potato-beetle, 43 
Squash-bng, 43 
Tomato-worm, 43 
Box-elder Plant-louse, 33 
Bridgeford'a Antiseptic, 47 
Broad-necked Root-borer, 61 
Brown Cryptolechia, 27 
Bruner, L., Report by, 9, 33 
Buhach, 42 

Alcoholic extracts, 43 

Effect of, upon P. brassicae, 42 
Cabbage Butterfly, 34 
Cabbage Plant-louse, 50 

Worms, 50 
Cabera, 25 

Calocoris rapidus, 58 
Canker-worms, 60 
Capsua oblineaius, 65 
Cecidomyia leguminicola, 52 



Chinch Bug, 33, 35 
Cleft-headed Span-worm, 29 
Climbing Cut-worm, 60 
Clover-seed Midge, 52 
Codling Moth, 61 
Colorado Potato Beetle, 33 
Corimelasna pulicaria, 62 
Com Aphis, 51 
Corn-worm, 32 
Corycia, 22 
Cotton Worm, 10, 11 
Cottony Cushion-scale, 7 
Cottony Maple Scale, 63 
Cryptolechia quercicella, 27 

Habits, 28 

Larva, 26 

Moth, 28 

Pupa, 28 
Deilinia variolaria, 25 

Larva, 26 

Moth, 26 

Pupa, 26 
Doryphora lO-Uneata, 33 
Dreer's Insect Terror, 44 
Erapretia stimulea, 62 
Euschistus fissilis, 58 
Fir-tree oil, 46 
Flata conica, 61 
Flea-like Kegro-bug, 62 
Gelechia oronella, 25 

Larva, 25 

Moth, 25 

Pupa, 25 
Gishurst, 47 
Grasshoppers, 34 
Gray Blister Beetle, 33 
Graphops pubescens, 48 

Habits, 48 
Green-striped Phycid worm, 23 
Haltica alni, 24 

Beetle, 25 

Larva, 24 

Pupa, 25 
Halticus pallicornis, 62 
Hammond's Slug Shot, 44 
Heliothis armigera, 33 
Herald, The, 26 
Homohadena badistiiga, 60 
Hyperetis nyssaria, 28 

Larva, 29 

Moth, 29 

Pupa, 29 
Icerya purchasi, 7 
Ice-water as a remedy, 44 
Ichthyuria strigosa, 30 

americana, 30 

Larva before the last molt, 30 



77 



78 



Ichthyuria — Oontiuned. 

Larva, after the last molt, 30 

Moth, 30 

Pupa, 30 
Insecticides, Tests with, upon garden insects, 38 
Insects injurious to forest and shade trees, 7. 
Kerosene emulsion, 38 

Effect of, upon Cabbage Plant-louse, 39 
Cabbage Worms, 39 
White Grub, 39 

Formula for, 38 
Lace-winged flies, Larvaj of, preying upon A. bras- 

sicae, 50 
Lachnosterna fusca, 52 
Lady-birds, Larv£B of, preying upon A. brassi- 

caj, 50 
Larch Saw-fly, 20 
Leaf-bug on Maple, A new, 63 
Leaf-hopper, 61 
Live-Oak Leaf-roller, 31 
Live-Oak Thecla, 31 
Locusts in Texas, 7, 9 

Melauoplus atlanis, 11 

angustipennis, 11 
robustus, 11 

Presence of, in different counties, 16 
Lygua monachus Uhler, n. sp., 63 
Lygus pratensis, 54, 55 
Lytta cinerea, 33 
Macrops sp., 49 

Macrosila quinque-maculata, 53 
May Beetle, 52 
Melanoplus atlanis. 11 

angustipennis, 11 
differentialis, 11, 33 
femur-rubrum, 33 
spretus, 33 
Melanoplus sp., 11 

Eggs, 12 

Experiments with Paris green upon, 14 

Larvae, 12 

Mode of attack, 12 

Remedies, 13 
Meromyza americana, 49 
Meroptera praveila, 23 

Larva, 23 

Moth, 23 

Pupa, 23 
Micropus leucopterus, 33 
Moore's Compound, 46 
Murtfeldt, Miss M. E., Eeport by, 59 
Notes from Missouri, 7, 59 
Norway Spruce, 21 
Oat-fly, A new, 49 
Ohio Insects, Keport upon, 48 
Osage Orange, Flata conica Say, found on, 61 
Oscinia? sp., 49 
Paria aterrima, 48 
Pliycid caterpillar, 20, 21 
Phycis rubrifasciella, 23 
Pieris rapic, 34, 50 
Pinipestis ronicuUela, 21 

Larva, 22 

Moth, 22 

Pupa, 22 



Pink-striped Willow Span-worm, 25 
Pitch Pine, 21 
Plagiodera scripta, 33 
Plusia brassica.', 50 

Habits of, 61 
Plantain Curculio, 49 
Plant-bugs, Eflect of puncture, 7 
Pcecilocapsus quadrivittatus, 7, 54 
Poeciloptera prninosa Say, 61 
Post-oak Locust, 17 

Classification, 18 

Description, 19 

Habits, 18 
Prionus laticollis, 61 
Procris americana, 62 

Pteromalus puparum, infesting P. rapoe, 50, 52 
Pulvinaria innumerabilia, 63 
Pyrethrum cinerariiEfolium, 42 

Alcoholic extract, 43 

Effect of, upon Pieris brassicoe, 42 
Pyrethrum, extracts of, 41 

Effect of, upon Aphis brassicae, 41 
Eall Web-worm, 42 
Potato-Beetle, 42 
Squash Bugs, 42 
Tomato Worm, 42 
Eed-legged Locust, 36 
Remedies imported from London, 46 
Riley, C. V., quoted, 60 
Rocky Mountain Locust, 11 
Saddle-back Caterpillar, 62 
Scoliopteryx libatrix, 26 

Habits, 26 
Selandria rosaj, 60 
Siphonophora avenae, 58 
Sphingid larvaj on Tomato, 53 
Spruce and Hackmatack Worms, 20 
Bud-louse, 21 
Caterpillar, 20 
cones, new enemy of, 7 
Cone-worm, habits of, 21 
Strawberry Crown-borer, 49 
Leaf -beetle, 48 
Root-borer, 48 
Striped Cotton-wood Beetle, 34 
Sulfo-tobacco Soap, 45 

Syrphus flies, Larvae of, preying upon A. brassi- 
cae, 50 
Tansy water, 44 
Tenthredinid larvie, 59 
Thecla calamus, 31 
flavoniua, 31 
Tobacco Soaps, 45 

effect of, upon Cabbage Plant-lice, 46 
worms, 45 
Tomato water, 44 
Tortrix fumiferana, 20 
Tortrix quercifoliana, 31 

Larva, 32 

Moth, 32 

Pupa, 3" 
Tyloderma fragariie, 49 
Webster, F. M., report by, 54 
Willow, Insects infesting, 20 
Wolf's Vermin Soap, 45 



U.S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 

division of entomology. 

Bulletin No. 14. 

RE POUTS 



OBSERVATIONS AND EXPERIMENTS 



THE PRACTICAL WORK OF THE DIVISION, 



UNDER THE DIRECTION OF THE ENTOMOLOGIST. 



WASHINGTON: 

G0VERN3IENT PKINTIN(i OFFICE. 

188 7. 



U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 
division of extomology. 

Bulletin Xo. 14. 



REPORTS 



OBSERVATIONS AND EXPERIMENTS 



THE PRACTICAL WORK OF THE DIVISION, 



UNDER THE DIRECTION OF THE ENT03I0L0GIST. 



WASHINGTON: 

GOVERN^IEXT PRINTING OFFICE. 

18S7. 
22340— No. U 



^ 






LETTER OF SUBMITTAL. 



U. S. Department of Agriculture, 

Division of Entomology, 
Washington, D. C, May 30, 1887. 
Sir : I have the honor to submit for publication Bulletin No. 14 of 
the Division of Entomology, containing certain reports of agents and 
other juatter additional to that contained in Bulletin 13, and excluded 
from my annual report from lack of space. 
Eespectfully, 



Hon. Norman J. Colman, 

Commissioner of Agriculture. 



0. V. EILEY, 

Entomologist. 



CONTENTS. 



Page- 
Introduction 7 

Report on Insects injurious to Garden Crops in Florida 9 

Report on Buffalo Gnats 29 

Native Plums. How to fruit tbem. They are claimed to be practically curca- 

lio-proof 39 

The Serrell automatic Silk-reel 52 

5 



IXTEODTJCTIOK 

This Bulletin contains matter referring to the season of 1886, addi- 
tional to tbat already published. 

Mr. Ashmead's report on insects affecting garden crops in Florida is 
necessarily very incomjdete, as it represents only four months' field ob- 
servations, and as the subject is one of no inconsiderable magnitude. 
Mr. Ashmead's work was stopped September 1st on account of the re- 
duction in the appropriations. 

Mr. Webster's report on Buffalo Gnats is in the main the results of 
work in March and April, 1886. It contains many interesting details 
in addition to the more important observations which are quoted in 
our own article on the subject in the annual rejiort. It is also due to 
Mr. Webster to say that the investigations since made, and especially 
those by himself the present year, have added materially to our exact 
knowledge on the subject. 

In reference to Mr. Wier's article on the curculio-proof nature of the 
native plums and his explanation thereof we wish to be understood as 
in no way indorsing either the statements or conclusions of the paper. 
Mr. Wier is an old friend and correspondent and has written much of 
late upon this question. He claimed to have abundant personal evi- 
dence of the wild plums being proof against Conotrachelus nenuijliar 
by virtue of the eggs failing to hatch therein. This was an imr>ortant 
matter, bearing directly on economic entomology, and, as we have often 
been asked for our opinion as to the immunity of these wild plums, we 
engaged Mr. AVier to prepare a statement of his evidence. His two 
main claims are (1) that these wild plum trees are unfruitful, except 
where the Howers receive the pollen from other varieties; (2) that the 
female Curculio prefers their fruit for purposes of oviposition, but that 
the egg fails to hatch therein or the larva perishes after hatching. The 
first poiut belongs to economic botany, or rather j)omolog3^, and while 
we consider that it is disproved alike by historical and botanical evi- 
dence and general experience we leave it with the horticulturist to deal 
with more fully. With regard to the second j^oint we confess that the 
reading of Mr. Wier's essay has brought no sense of his theory being 
well sustained or of its general truthfulness. Yet, for the reasons 
stated, we have decided to publish the paper very much as received, 
omitting only such portions as dealt with well known and trite entomo- 
logical facts, aji also a dissertation on grafting, and entering our dis- 

7 



sent in tlie form of foot-note where the statements are unjustified from 
the entomological side. 

The description of the principles and mechanism of the Serrell auto- 
matic silk-reel has been prepared by Mr. Philip Walker, assistant in 
charge of the reeling experiments and machinery at the Department. 
It will be found useful in explaining the advantages which that deli- 
cate and remarkable invention has over the ordinary reel as a labor- 
saver, though no amount of description will impress the fact on the 
mind so forcibly as a few moments' observation of the reel at work. 

C. Y. E. 



1 



REPORT ON INSECTS INJURIOUS TO GARDEN CROPS IN FLORIDA. 

By Wm. H. Ashmead, Special Agent. 

letter of transmittal. 

Jacksonville, Fla., 

Sepiembcr 2, 1886. 
Dear Sir: I have the honor to submit herewith, in pursuance to your instructions, 
luy report on " insects injurious to garden crops" in Florida, comprehendiug fiekl-work 
and sludies oh these pests from May 15 to August 31, 1886. 

My time was too limited to do full justice to the subject ; moreover, it will take several 
years of the most laborious, painstaking industry to thoroughly work up the life his- 
tories of the destructive insect pests aftectiug our garden crops in this State. 

Yours, verv respectfully, 

WM. H. ASHMEAD. 
Prof. C. Y. EiLEY, 

U. S. Entomologist, Washington, D. C. 



INTEODUCTOEY. 

The insects depredating " garden crops" in Florida are legion, and 
the time at my disposal, May 15 to Augnst 31, was too limited to begin 
to do the subject justice. 

Dailj' rains, too, from latter part of June and all during July greatly 
interfered with my field-woik. During the months of March and 
April early Yegetables are raised in great quantities for northern ship- 
ment and consumption, and it is then that the greatest activity exists 
among certain destructive pests depredating these crops. Thac is the 
timeinvestigation should begin. However, considerable work has been 
accomplished, and in the following pages will be found descrii^tions of 
some of the more injurious insect pests injuring these crops ; moreover, 
to make the report of practical value to our vegetable growers, I have 
given the best remedies known, extracted principally from the writings 
of Professors Eiley, Fitch, Lintner, Packard, Forbes, Thomas, &c. 

INSECTS AFFECTING THE CABBAGE. 

Probably there is no garden crop in Florida that is so preyed upon 
and so seriously threatened from the attacks of insect pests as the cab- 
bage and its numerous varieties. 

To well-known imported European insect pests, now thoroughly estab- 
lished here and depredating this crop, may be added many indigenous 

9 



10 

species that attack and destroy it in different ways, and tbe injury and 
loss is very great. 

Necessarily I have given considerable time and study to unraveling 
the life histories of some of the more important ones, giving them that 
prominence in my report that their imi)ortance to the grower seem to 
warrant. 

THE CABBAGE PLUSIA. 

{Plusia hrassicce Riley.) 

This is one of the most serious and destructive of cabbage insects. 
Prof. C. V. Eiley first described it in his Second Missouri Report, 1870, 
page 110. 

Distribution. — While, undoubtedly, originally indigenous to the South- 
ern States, it is now very generally distributed over most of the Eastern 
and "Western States. In U. S. Agricultural Report for 1883, Professor 
Riley states that he has received it from Mississippi, Georgia, Florida, 
the Carolinas, Alabama, Texas, New Jersey, Missouri, Kansas, Nebraska, 
Virginia, and Maryland. 

Food Plants. — The food plants of the larvae, as given in same report, 
are Cabbage, Kale, Turnip, Tomato, Mignonette (Reseda), Dandelion 
[Taraxacum), Dock {Riimex), Cre;pis, Chenopodium, Clover, Scnecio scan- 
dens, Lettuce, and Celery. Professor Riley also saj'S : "We have 
also found it in Florida feeding upon the Japan Quince [Cydonia japon- 
ica), and it has been found in Washington upon same plant." 

Life History. — The life history of this insect is treated in the Annual 
Report of the Department for 1883, pp. 119-122, and it is figured at 
Plate I, figs. 2 and 2a, and Plate XI, figs. 2, a, h, c. The difit'erent stages 
are described in Professor Riley's Second Missouri Entomological Re- 
port, pp. 111-112. 

Number of Broods. — Professor Lintner, State Entomologist of New 
York, in treating of this species in his second report, page 92, says : 
"In its more northern extension there are two annual broods, for, from 
larvse taken in August, after about two weeks of pupation. Dr. Thomas 
has had the moths emerge on the 1st of September, which deposited 
their eggs for a second brood in October. In the Southern States there 
are probably four broods, for Mr. Grote took examples of the moths in 
Alabama during the last of February." 

Here in Florida there are certainly not less than six broods, for I have 
taken the moths every month but the winter months, November, De- 
cember, and January. 

Its Injuries. — Not a cabbage patch visited by me this spring and sum- 
mer but was more or less damaged by the attacks of this terrible cab- 
bage pest, and the injury it does and the loss sustained by the trucker 
is immense. 

The very young begin by eating the fleshy portion of the leaves ; as 



11 

they grow in size and strength they gnaw irregular holes through the 
leaves, until they are completely riddled or honey-combed and the cab- 
bage rendered thereby unmarketable. 

N^afural Enemies and Parasites. — Comparatively few natural enemies 
have been observed preying upon this insect, although carabid beetles 
and others are supposed to destroy it at the North. 

A European chalcid tly, Copidosonia truncatellum Dalman, has been 
reported as parasitic on this species at Washington, by Mr. L. O. How- 
ard; twenty-five hundred and twenty-eight specimens of this parasite 
were actually counted as coming from a single parasitized worm. 

Professor Eiley has also bred an ichneumon fly, Apanteles congregatus 
Say, from larvre. 

Here, in a single instance, I bred from a chrysalis an ichneumon tl^^ 
{Limneria, sp.) a common i^arasite of the Cabbage Plutella, and it will be 
found treated further on under the parasites of that insect. 

From the egg, however. I bred a pretty little chalcid fly [Tricliogram- 
mapretiosa Riley). It was first described by Professor Eiley in Canadian 
Entomologist Vol. XI, page 161, from specimens bred from the eggs of 
the Cotton Worm {Alelia argillacea Hiibn.). 

Besides the above parasites, three larvie were brought under my ob- 
servation, attacked by the parasitic fungus {Botrytis Rileyi Farlow). 

Remedies. — Pyrethrum. — Professor Lintner recommends pyrethrum : 
"A tablespoonful of good fresh powder, diifused through 2 gallons of 
water and sprinkled over the plants, would destroy thelarvjTJ." 

Hot ^Yat€r. — Every worm visible upon the cabbages maybe killed by 
the use of water at the temperature of 130° Fahrenheit, or 55° centi- 
grade. The water may be boiling hot when put in the watering-can, 
but it will not be too hot when it reaches the cabbage leaves. The thick 
fleshy nature of the leaves enables them to withstand considerable heat 
with very little injury. The sacrifice of a few heads of cabbage will 
soon teach an exi)erimenter how far he can go with the hot water. It 
may be sprinkled over the plants from a fine rose watering-can or poured 
on with the sprinkler removed. If it is very hot it will color some of 
the leaves, but even where the cabbage is considerably sorched it will 
recover and renew growth from the heat. (Prof. C. Y. Riley). 

Kerosene Emulsion. — The kerosene emulsion, as formulated by Mr. H. 
G. Hubbard for scale insects, will also be found valuable for cabbage 
worms. 

Lime and Carbolic Powder. — This is also good. Take 20 parts super- 
phosphate of lime, 3 parts fresh air-slaked lime, and 1 part carbolic 
powder; mix, and scatter a small quantity upon each cabbage head three 
or four times at short intervals about three days apart. The carbolic 
powder is made by taking sawdust and thoroughly impregnating it 
with carbolic acid. 



12 



THE CABBAGE PLUTELLA. 

[Plutella cruciferariim Zeller.) 

Second only in importance to tlie Cabbage Plusia is anotber cabbage 
Avorm, the "Cabbage Plntelhi," the larva of a small niotli, and wliicli 
may easily be confounded with the very young larva of the Cabbage 
Plusia. 

This insect was treated at some length in Professor Riley's Annual 
Report as Entomologist to the Department for 1883, and it will therefore 
be unnecessary to go into detail here. I ma;y state, however, that while 
at the I^orth there are probably but two annual generations, there are 
at least four here in Florida. The larv;xi are quite plentiful on cabbage 
from the last of February to July, and again in the fall. The damage 
done is very similar to that of the Plusia and is almost as great, al- 
though it seldom attacks other than the outer leaves, 

I have bred a parasite, additional to those mentioned by Professor 
Riley, which agrees with the description of Cresson's Limneria ohscura. 

THE CABBAGE APHIS. 

{Aphis brass icw Linn.) 

The Cabbage Aphis {Aphis hrassicce) first described by Liuufeus, in 
his "Systema Naturte," is quite widely spread throughout this country 
and Europe. It was undoubtedly" imported into this country at a very 
early day, for Dr, Fitch shows, by reference to the Transactions of the 
New York State Agricultural Society for 1791, that it was already 
known as a cabbage pest at that early date, and at this day it has 
spread to most parts of the world where thje cabbage is cultivated. 

Food Plants — It is found on the Turnip, Raddish, Field-cress [Isatis 
tinctoria), Shepherd's-purse {CapseUa bursa -jmstoris), Charloch {Brassica 
arvensis), Cabbage, and other cruciferous plants. 

Here I found it on Cabbage, Turnip, and Raddish. 

Its Life HiSTOiiY. — The Young. — These are oval, about .01 inch in 
length, and of a greenish-yellow color, without the mealy coating of the 
older ones. 

Buckton, the British authority on the Aphididte, thus describes the 
different forms : 

Apterous Viviparous Female. — Body long, oval ; plentifully covered -with .i whitish 
mealy coat, both on the upper and under sides. When this is removed by a drop of 
spirits of wine the body below is grayish-green, with oight black spots ranged down 
each side of the back, which increase in size as they approach the tail. Antennne 
green with black tips, shorter than the body. Eyes and legs black. Cornicles very 
short and black. TJiil also small and black. 

Winged Oviparous Female. — Head, neck, and thoracic lobes black. Antenure and 
nectaries dark brown. Eyes black. Eest of the body yellowish-green. Abdomen 
with a row of fine punctures on each lateral edge, with several obscure transverse 
dorsal marks. Legs dusky brown, pilose. Tail dark green or brown ; hairy. Cor- 



13 

uiclos short and brown, as also is the tip of tlie rostrum. This hist organ reaches to 
the second coxiP. Wings rather short, with stout coarse veins and stigma. 

Its Injuries. — The injuries tliis species does are more apparent in early 
spring and late fall than at any other time, for it is then that they are 
most pleutifiil, and less subject to the attacks of their numerous natural 
enemies. 

They are found in colonies, on the upper and lower surface of the 
leaf; often hidden in the wrinkles and folds of the leaf, deep down at 
its base and on the leaf-stalk. 

Bucktonsays : '' Both the upper and under sides of the foliage of which 
last plant [Brassica oleracea) it often crowds in such numbers that the 
leaves become hidden by the living mass. Indeed sometimes, weight 
for weight, there is more animal than vegetable substance present. The 
leaves then become putrid, offensive in odor, and quite 'disgusting to the 
eye." 

It is seldom that plants are so badly infested in Florida as described 
by this author, although some years ago I did sec old cabbage-stalks 
that had been left go to seed in an old cabbage patch so affected. 

Every stalk was literally covered, promiscuously jjiled one upon 
another, with living, pumping, slimy aphids, rendered such by the exud- 
ing sap of the j)lants. I was unable to touch a portion of the stalk with- 
out my fingers being covered with the slimy, viscid mass. 

Natural Enemies and Parasites. — Fortunately, in Florida, the species 
has very many natural enemies and parasites which keep it from increas- 
ing very rapidly. 

In Europe, too, it has several parasites. Buckton mentions a Corunay 
a Ceraphron, and a Trionyx ( T. rapw Curtis) as having been bred from it 
in Europe; also "several species of Syrphidse and IchneumonidiB act 
effectually as checks upon the increase of A. hrassicw. The larvjc of 
the former dipterous tlies, living in the midst of such plenty, soon gorge 
themselves and become of great size." 

Trionyx rap(v Curtis has also been bred from it in this country. It was 
received at the Department February 27, 1880, from Norfolk, Va., and 
redescribed by Mr. Cresson in the Annual Eeport, IT. S. Department Ag- 
riculture for 1879, page 2G0, as a new species, Trionyx piceus. Professor 
Eiley bred it at Saint Louis, Mo., as early as 1871, and I have bred it here 
in great quantities in May, June, and July. 

It is one of the principal checks in keeping this pest within bounds, 
and but few of the Aphids escajie its sting. 

But there are other parasites; and below I give descriptions of sev- 
eral others bred here which are apparently new and as yet uudescribed. 

The rearing of a parasitic Cynips from this species is quite interest- 
ing, inasmuch as the habits of but few of our species are known. Up 
to the present time AUotria arena', A. tritici Fitch, and A. lachni Ashm. 
are the only Cynipids bred from Aphids in North America. 



u 

The Cabbage Aphis Allotkia — Allotria brassicw u. sp. — Female.— Leugth .05 inch. 
Black, Li<jhly polished, face and vertex of head testaceous; cheeks broad, convex, 
antenuif i;5-jointc<l, long, pale yellowish-brown or yellowish towards base, becoming 
brownish or infnscated at tip ; thorax smooth, parapsides distant ; scntellum small, 
round, convex, with a deep transverse groove at base; wings clear, j)ubescent and. 
fringed with short cilia; veins yellowish,' the radial area closed; abdomen globose, 
with the second segment but slightly longer than the third, highly polished black, 
but more or less testaceous at base and at vent, and a clump of whitish hairs at base; 
legs honey-yellow ; in dry specimens tawny-yellow. 

Male. — The male is of the same size or slightly smaller than the female, and is easily 
recognized by the 14-jointed antennte; the third, fourth, and fifth joints almost equal 
jn length, and all are excised outwardly; the testaceous spot on vertex of head is not 
80 apparent ; the pleura are more or less testaceous and the abdomen is ovate. 

Described from several specimens bred from Juue 6th to July 15th. 

The Cabbage Aphis Pachyneuron — Pachyneuron aphidirora n. sp. — Female. — 
Length .04 to .05 inch. Head metallic green suffused with purple and purplish 
black on vertex ; shagreened, the sculpture coarser beneath eyes ; mandibles large, 
tridentate ; eyes purplish-brown ; antenuie brown, pubescent, scape and pedicel 
darker; thorax purplish-black with bronzy and cupreous reflection, finely reticulately 
sculptured; scapuhe, golden green; scntellum prominent, convex, rounded; meta- 
thorax finely wrinkled ; abdomen flat, oval, blue-black, metallic at base and with 
bronze tingings towards apex, darker beneath ; wings hyaline, iridescent, pubescent 
excepting at base ; veins pale yellow, the thickened marginal vein brownish, the 
stigmal slightly longer than marginal ; along outer edge are seven long hairs ; legs 
pale yellowish, coxic black, anterior and middle femora d usky near base and along 
upper aiid lower surface, at least two-thirds their length. 

Described from several specimens bred June 6th. 

The Cabbage Aphis En'Cyrtid — I^ncyrtus aphidiphagus n. sp. — Female. — Length 
.06 inch. Blue-black. Head shagreened, face and mouth parts blue, the facial impres- 
sion is very deep, eyes brown; ocelli region greenish ; antcnnaj brown ; thorax shag- 
reened in wavy curved rugosities, hind margin metallic green ; abdomen bronzed, blue- 
black ; wings hyaline, marginal vein short ; legs lioney-yello^, all femora brown ex- 
cept at tips, a largo brown blotch near base of tibia>, terminal tarsal joints dusky. 

Near Encyrtus snbUstus Howard but the color of the legs will at once distinguish it. 
Described from .several specimens. 

The Cabbage Aphis Syephus Fly — Allograpta ohliqua Say. — The 
larva or maggot of this fly has been taken feediug on the "Cabbage 
Aphis," and below I give description of its various preparatory stages: 

The Egg. — Pearly white, long oval ; .03 inch in length, deposited on the leaves 
among the Aiihids. 

The Maggot.— It is difficult to distinguish this from many other Syrphid larvaj. 
The full grown larva measui'es .25 inch in length, cylindrical, tapering anteriorly to 
poin t.; it is perfectly smooth, a translucent green, and the viscera are plainly discerni- 
ble, variously shaded, dark green, yellowish or brownish ; the jaws are black ; the air 
vessels, which ai"e visible on either side through the body walls, become contiguous on 
last segment, where they are connected externally with two small warty spiracles. 

The Piipariuin. — The puparium into which the maggot transforms resembles a cone, 
with the side attached to the leaf, flattened and held in place by a viscid substance 
secreted by the larva; its anterior end broad and well rounded, gradually nar- 
rowing posteriorly ; at the end are still to be seen the two warty tubercles. Color 
yellow-brown, with occasionally darker shadings. 



15 

From the puparium of this fly I have bred the following parasite : 

The Syrphus Fly Pachyneurox — Fachyneuron allograptae ii. sp. — Female. — 
Length .08 inch. Bhick, rather coarsly punctate, with a slight metallic luster. Head 
large, face and cheeks full ; eyes brown ; antenna} brown, scape rufous ; legs tawny 
yellow, a large brown blotch on fore and middle femora, while the hind femora are 
almost entirely brown ; abdomen dattened, oval, shiny black ; wings hyaline, veins 
pale brown; the bristles on submarginal vein are not long and are difficult to count. 

Male. — Length. OJ inch, otherwise similar to female. 

De.^cribed from .-everal specimens. The large size of this species and color of legs 
will distinguish it from others in our fauna. 

Besides the above parasites there is a small Coccinellid that preys on 
the Cabbage Aphis, viz, Scymnus cerricalis. 

OTHER INSKCTS FOUND ON CABBAGE IN FLORIDA. 

A. Centipede {Julus muUistriatus) Say, a Cricket [Tridactylus mimitus 
Scudder), the Southern Cabbage Batterfly {Fieris protodice Boisd.), the 
Large Cabbage Butterfly {Pier is monusfe L.), the Cabbage Mamestra 
{Mamestra clienopodii Albin.), the Zebra Cabbage Worm {Ceramica picta 
Harris), the Cabbage Piouea {Fionea rimosalis Gueu.), the Cauliticver 
Botis {Botis repetitalis Grote), the Harlequin Cabbage Bug [Murgantia 
histrionica Hahn.), and others. 

INSECTS AFFECTING COEK 

The lateness of the season at which I began my investigations pre- 
cluded me from studying insects depredating this crop in its earlier 
growth ; consequently nothing can be reported of the cut-worms and 
borers that do so much injury to this crop in early spring. 

THE CORN WORM. 

[Reliotliis armigera Hiibn.) 

This well-known insect has been very plentiful and injurious in 
Florida during the past season. Not a field of corn was free from its 
attacks, and but few perfect ears could be found that were not bored 
into by this pest. 

From ears taken from a field near Jacksonville I obtained from eight 
to a dozen worms in each ear, and out of the whole patch hardly an ear 
could be found that had less than two or three worms in it. 

The insect is treated in full in the Fourth Report of the U. S. Ento- 
mological Commission, and a repetition of its life-history, habits, and 
remedies are unnecessary here. 

Its Injuries. — Enormous injuries are committed by this worm, whole 
fields of corn being almost entirely destroyed by it. The eggs are laid 
on the leaves, and the young larvjB, which hatch therefrom, begin by 
eating the leaves, but they soon leave these and bore into the tender 
ears, gnawing and eating them in all directions, so that frequently 
hardly a perfect ear can be found. At times it is also found at the 



16 

base of tbe tassel, feediug on the accumulated saccarbine juice, found 
there, just before tbe tassel emerges from its sbeatli. 

Tbe worms will not only gnaw irregular burrows and feed on corn 
wbilein the milk, but the mature larvte are known at times tocoutiuue 
feeding on mature hard corn. 

I have taken on corn two bemiptera or bugs which probably prey on 
the worm, although not detected in the act — the Wheel Bug (Prionidus 
cristatns L.) and EuscMstus scrims Say. From tbe egg I bred Tricho- 
gramma pretiosa Eiley, already noticed; but no other parasite has been 
bred from it by me. 

THE CORN MINING FLY. 

[Diastata sp?) 

A mining fly larva is quite frequently met with, making long irregular 
mines on corn leaves, and while 1 have not been able to rear the i)erfect 
fly, yet I am satisfied it is the same species mentioned by Prof. Com- 
stock, in U. S. Agricultural Keport for 1880, page 245, as Diastata sp. 

Several specimens of a parasite, agreeing tolerably well with Mr. 
Howard's Unteclon diastatcv, reared from it at tbe North, were also bred 
from it here. 

MISCELLANEOUS CORN INSECTS. 

A Hemipteron ( Oebalus pugnax Fabr.) was found in considerable num- 
bers feeding on corn pollen, along with a Capsid and several flies. A 
fly {Ortalis sp.) is common on tbe stalk, but was not observed to do any 
injury. A common beetle {Allorhina nitida Linn.) was taken, with bead 
immersed in tbe ear, feeding on corn while in the milk. 

OTHER INSECTS INJURING CORN IN FLORIDA. 

The following insects also injure corn here: Tbe Corn-stalk Borer 
{Blatrwa saccharalls Fabr.); the Com Bill-bug (Spheiiopltorus robmtus 
Horn.), and tbe Angoumois moth {Gelechia ccrealella) and several Cut 
Worms. From tbe tassels I have taken the larv;ie of Kola sorgMclla 
Eilej', and in the crib tbe Corn Weevil {Calandra granaria). 

INSECTS AFFECTING THE TOMATO. 

The cultivation of the Tomato for Northern markets is a rapidly grow- 
ing industry in Florida, particularly in tbe southern portions of our 
State ; and thousands of boxes are now forwarded by our growers to 
Northern commission men every season. 

It behooves us, therefore, to keep a watchful eye on the insect depre- 
dators of this fruit, for we may naturally expect, with the extension of 
any horticultural industry, a corresponding increase of insect pests. 

Fortunately, no serious damage done this plant by insects has been 
reported this season, and, while I have been unable to visit West and 



17 

South Florida, the sections iu which the Tomato is more extensively' cul- 
tivated, yet studies on insects infesting it in gardens uear Jacksonville 
will, I feel assured, prove of interest. 

THE TOMATO WORM. 

{Sphinx Carolina Linn.) 

This is a well-knowu insect, common in all tomato i^atches, although 
the moth into which it transforms is seldom seen, and remains totally un- 
known to the great majority of our farmers. When you tell them that 
the worm will change into a large moth, nine times out of ten they ex- 
press surprise and think it a most wonderful piece of information. 

Distribution. — It is quite generally distributed throughout the United 
States, Mexico, the West Indies, and is not uncommon in South 
AMierica. 

Food Plants. — It feeds on Tomato, Potato, Jimpson weed {Datura stra- 
mo7iium), Egg-Plant, Tobacco, and other plants. I took specimens the 
past season feeding on Poke-berry {Rivina la^vis). 

Its Life History. — TheEyg. — The egg is spherical, perfectly smooth, and greeu or 
yellowish-greeu iu color ; diameter about .05 inch. 

The Larva. — When full gTown it measures over three inches in length. The head 
and body are dark green, interspersed with greenish-white dots ; it is transversely 
wrinkled ; oblique white or greenish-white lateral bands extend from dorsum to spi- 
racles, edged above with bluish and short transverse black lines. The spiracles, ex- 
cepting the first and last, are blackish, with a yellow dot above and below, all edged 
with blue, the first and last orange yellow. The shield and terminal prolegs edged 
below with yellow; the caudal horn is reddish-brown towards tip, and the feet are 
white, edged with black. 

The Pupa. — Length one inch and a half Dark reddish-brown, with coarse punc- 
tures on abdominal segments, and a detached cylindrical thick tongue-case, not 
quite reaching to til) of abdomen. 

The moth is a mottled gray species, with orange spots along the body, 
and has too often been figured and described to need description here. 

Its Injuries. — Whgn plentiful the injury done is considerable, and great 
care should be taken to remove and destroy them. Thej" eat the leaves 
and tenderer and terminal shoots, frequently stripping the plant bare, 
whereby the plant is unable to breathe or mature fruit. 

Natural Enemies and Parasites. — I have observed a species of Wasp 
carrying off" the young worms to provision its nest. It is also probable 
that the Microgaster and Blacas that attack its nearest ally {Sj)hinx 
5-maculata) will be found parasitizing this worm. 

A Tachina fly, a species of Mascicera, has been bred from it in the 
North by Prof. Riley (Fourth Missouri Entomological Eeport, page 129). 
In June I bred from its eggs Trichogramma j^retiosa Kiley, a general egg- 
parasite already noticed, and a species of Teleas. Of the former three 
to six specimens issued from each Q^g; from the latter two to four. 
22340— No. 14 2 



18 

I submit a description of the Teleas, which is apparently new: 

The Sphinx Egg Teleas — Teleas sphhigh n, sp. — Lengtli, .04 inch. Black, smootli, 
and polished. Head large, much broader thau thorax; antenuai l^jointed, dark 
browu, sparsely pubescent, the scape barely reaching to the head ; pedicel mucli 
stouter and larger than first funicle joint, which is small ; other joints slightly in- 
crease in size to club, which enlarges and widens considerably, and comprises five 
joints; the antenna- in male are more flagellate. The thorax is ovate, smooth, con- 
vex, and sparsely covered with microscopical pubescence. 

Under a very high power the head and thorax show a microscopical reticulated 
scratched surface. 

No parapsidal grooves ; the scutellnm is separated by a deep groove at base and has 
some wrinkled ridges ; metathorax rugose. The abdomen is very flat ovate, and 
somewhat cariuate laterally; on first segment there are three deep transverse, punc- 
tate grooves, and the second segment occupies most of the upper surface ; surround- 
ing the tij) are a few hairs. 

Legs clavate ; femora and coxae black or very dark brown ; tibia^ brown, with tips ; 
tarsi and trochanters yellowish or tawny ; wings hyaline, hairy, and with a distinct, 
rather long, stigmal vein. 

Described from numerous specimens bred iu July. 

Bemedy. — For destroying this worm no better method need be wanted 
than hand-picking. 

The worms are hirge and conspicuous, easilj^ seen, and no difficulty 
wall attend their destruction. The best time for searching for them is 
in "the early morning and evening ; during the middle of the day the 
majority ot them will be found hidden under trash and in the ground 
at the foot of the vine. 

THE TOMATO-STALK BORER. 

{Gortyna nitela Guen.) 

This insect is comparatively rare in Florida, although T have noticed 
it several times the present season. It has been so often treated iu the 
reports and iu popular articles as to need no extended notice here. 

THE TOMATO APHIS. 

(Megoura solani Thomas.) 

In some cases brought under my observation this year, this Aphid 
did considerable damage to tomato vines, particularly in the early 
spring. 

Distribution.— It is pretty generally distributed throughout the 
United States, although it has not been reported, that I am aware of, 
west of the Eocky Mountains. 

Its Natural Ristory.—Frof. Cyrus Thomas described the species in the 
Eighth Illinois Report as follows : 

Winged Female.— Antenuie 7-jointed, a little longer thau the body ; first and second 
joints short ; third and seventh longest, nearly equal ; fourth a little shorter than the 
third; the fifth not quite as long as the fourth; sixth about half or less than half 
the length of the fifth; tubercles prominent. Honey tubes extending beyond the 
abdomeu, excessively enlarged in the middle, ami expanding at the tip in trumpet 



19 

shape. Tail of moderate leugth, about oue-tbird as long as the boney tubes, conical. 
Wings as usual iu Siphon ophora ; fourtb vein strongly and regularly curved ; second 
fork about equally distant from apex and tbird vein; stigma elongate, slender and 
pointed, size large. 

General color greenii-b; tail greeuisb-yellow at tbe base, darker at tbe tip; body 
greenish or pale greenisb-yellow ; antennie dusky. Another winged specimen, proba- 
bly a male, varies considei-ably from the above description ; tbe second fork of the third 
vein is very short and near tbe apex, and iu some cases absent in one wing and present 
in tbe other. Honey tubes with tbe enlargement less than the preceding, and carried 
nearer to tbe apex; anteunaj also ditfer slightly in the respective length of the 
joints. Head and abdomen olive green; thorax and eyes black; antenme dusky, 
legs pale, dark at the knees and tarsi. 

Pupa. — Elongate obloug inform; very pale with a dark green stripe along the 
middle of the back, with apparent whitish powder speckled sparsely over the body. 
Head whitish; base of antennte greenish-white, rest pale fuscous, dark at the tip of 
the joints and at the tip of the anteunse ; eyes brown ; femora greenish- white ; tibije 
fuscous ; tarsi darker. Honey tubes long, slender, pale at base and dusky at the tip. 
Tail short, conical, greenish. 

The summer broods of this species are viviparous, but there must be 
a fall sexual brood, coutainiug oviparous females which deposit eggs, 
from which hatch the early spring broods. 

lis Injuries. — This species was first detected iu the garden of Col. L. 
W. Spratt. 

The Colonel drew my attention to some sickly tomato vines and 
showed me others that had died and asked me what was the matter 
with them. An examination revealed the Aphids along the stem stalk 
and on some of the leaves, and I feel convinced that these little creatures 
were the cause of the trouble. Their puncture has a blistering and 
blighting effect on the vine, and the leaves cuti and wither. 

Xatur(d Enemies and Parasites. — I detected the larvae of a Lace-wing 
{Ilemerohius) and certain Scymni feeding upon them; also bred from 
them two internal parasites as follows : 

Tomato Aphis A-l^otria— A Ilotria megourw n. sp.— Fp:male. — Length .03 inch. 
Black, shining. Face testaceous; anteun;e long, 13-jointed, subhliform, dark honey- 
yellow, infuscated from two-tliirds its leugth to tip; thorax smooth, shining ; scutel- 
lum oval, convex; abdomen globose, slightly testaceous in certain lights; legs dark 
honey-yellow ; wings hyaline, ciliated, veins yellowish. 

Described from one specimen bred Maj^ 20th. 

The Tomato Aphis Excyrtid— jEuc//?-<hs.^ meijourw n. sp.— Male and Female. — 
Length from .02 to .03 inch. Blue-black. Head fiuely punctate; eyes large with 
coarse facets; nunith piceous; autennte 11-joiuted, covered with short pubsecence 
in female, in male with two whorls of hairs on each joint; the flagellum gradually 
widens towards tip in female, narrower iu male; scutellum slightly metallic in 
female, brighter in male, with some long hairs ; abdomen blackish or brownish, short, 
stout, with long hairs at sides; wings hyaline ; veins yellowish ; marginal vein very 
short ; legs j-ellowish, coxie, femora except at tip, and a broad annulus on upper half 
of tibite darker. 

Described from three specimens. 

Remedies. — Those reooininendod for " Cabbage Aphis" will be just as 
effectual for this species. 



20 



INSECTS AFFECTING THE EGG PLAXT. 

The egg plant is comparatively but little cultivated in Florida, and 
no serious injury is done it by insect pests. 

The " Tomato Worms," Sphinx Carolina and Sphinx 5-maculata are 
both found on it eating the leaves; also a Tortricid and a Tineid. 

A Membracid {Acutalls calva Say) is found on the stalk, a Blister 
Beetle [Lpicauta cinerea Forst.) in blossoms, and occasionally eatiujj^ the 
leaves; at times a small black jumping bug {HaUlciis hractatus Say) is 
very plentiful on both stalk and leaves, as well as Stictocephala in- 
ermis Fabr., and on the under surface of the leaves an Aphis, 

THE EGG PLANT APHIS. 

[Siphonophora cuciirbitce Middleton.) 

Bistrihution. — This species was first detected on Squash vines at 
Carbondale, Illinois, May, 187S, by Miss Nettie Middleton, and described 
in Eighth Report Illinois Insects, page G7, and I know of no other ref- 
erence to it. The specimens found here on Egg Plants agree perfectly 
with her description, and it is probably extensively distributed over the 
Eastern United States on various plants belonging to the Cucurbi- 
tacepe. 

I quote her original description : 

JVviged Sjyecimens. — Large aud greeu. Anteuna3 very long, reaching to or beyond 
the tip of the tail ; third joint a little longer than the fourth ; fourth about the same 
length or very slightly longer than fifth ; sixth not more than one-fourth or one- third 
the length of the fifth ; seventh longest ; wings transparent; veins slender ; the first 
fork makes a very acute angle with the third vein ; second fork rather nearer the 
third vein than the apex ; fourth veia curves sharply and approaches somewhat 
closely in its middle to the first fork; stigma elongate and narrow; honey tubes 
long, slender, and cylindrical, extending beyond the tip of the abdomen, but not to 
the tip of the tail, about one-fifth the length of the body ; tail long, subcouical, more 
than half the length of the honey tubes (in the wingless specimens). The form of the 
body in both the winged and wingless specimens is elongate and fusiform, the latter 
being slightly broader than the former. Length of body .10 inch, to tip of wing .18 
inch, and some appear to even exceed this size ; body green ; head paler, more or less 
yellowish ; thorax pale brownish or fawn colored or tinged with this color; abdomen 
green, with a darker greeu median line ; first and second joints of the antenna? pale, 
third dark, seventh light, shades of light and dark more or less alternating; honey 
tubes greeu at base, changing to fuscous at the tip; tail greenish; eyes brown; 
stigma i)ale. 

Wingless Specimen. — Green, with few markings: Body slightly broadur than winged 
specimens, and elongate ovate; the abdomen tapering posteriorly to the elougateil 
tail, which is elongate conical, its length more than half and almost equal to that i>( 
the honey tubes. The honey tubes are loug, somewhat robust and cylindrical; they 
extend beyond the tip of the abdomen, although the posterior tapering segments are 
much drawn out, but not to the tip of the tail. In most of the 8])ecimens examined 
under a strong magnifying power they appear slightly and minutely wriukled trans- 
versely, or what may i)erhaps better describe the apj)earauc3, pustulate or scaly. 'The 



21 

leugth of body is usually rather greater tliau of the wiuged siiecimens. lu Loth the 
antenute and front of the. head are hairy, and many of the hairs appear to he capi- 
tate. 

Its Injuries. — It is onlj- in early sprint- that the plant suffers mucb 
from this Aphid, and then almost any wash would destroy it; later the 
rains and natural enemies almost totally <lestroy it. 

Parasites. — Enemies that are usually found destroying plant-lice — 
CoccinellidiB and Hemerobiidfe — were also observed associated with this 
species ; but besides these I bred from it a parasitic Cynipid as follows : 

The Egg Plant Aphis Eucoila, Eucoila siphonopliorai n. sp. — Male. — Length, .05 
inch ; dark, piceo-hlack ; polished ; in shape somewhat linear ; autennje longer than 
body; 15-jointed; filiform, red ; third joint longest, excised; following joints long, 
moniliform i scutellnm cupuliform; abdomen slightly compressed, with hairy girdle 
at base ; legs red ; posterior cox;e rather hxrge, somewhat pale ; wings hyaline, pub- 
escent, and ciliate. 

Described from one specimen, bred May 30. 

IXSECTS AFFECTIXG THE PEA. 

There are several insects destroying the Pea in Florida, but it was 
too late in the season when I began my work to study them in the 
field, the Pea crop being about over. 

Crickets, grasshoppers, beetles, and caterpillars cut and eat the 
leaves and pods ; but by far the most destructive is a root-mining Au- 
thomyid fly, which preys upon the roots. 

Its existence is entirely unsuspected by the grower, and I hoi)e an- 
other season will enable me to thoroughly work it up. 

The maggots bore into and burrow the roots near the crown, and in 
a short time flourishing and luxuriant vines are killed. 

Our people attribute the cause to the hot weather, and would be sur- 
prised could they see the larva? at work. 

INSECTS AFFECTING THE BEAX. 

The same general remarks made in regard to insects of the Pea will 
apply to the Bean also, and I have only been able to work up the life 
history of one "Cut- worm," taken while in the act, in June. 

THE BEAN CUT-WORM. 

{Telesilla cinercola Guen^e.) 

The moth of this species has long been known to collectors, but the cat- 
erpillar, I believe, up to the present time, remains unidentified and un- 
described. 

Distribtition. — Found generally spread over the United States east 
of the Rocky Mountains and in Canada and the West Indies. Pro- 
fessor Snow reports it common in Kansas ; in Florida it is rare. 



22 

Its Life History. — The Efjr/. — Uukuowu. 

The Larva. — This in shape audsize very much roseml»los the Cabbage Worm {Plusia 
irassicw,) and, like it, wiieii disturbed draws itself up andhasthe appearance of a geo- 
metrid larva. When full grown it measures one and one-tenth of an inch in length. 
Pale green, with a wavy, yellow stigma line and a supra-stigma creamy white line 
aud two pale dorsal lines, 8 transverse black vs^arty dots on segments with two more 
on dorsum back of those, from all of -which issue pale hairs; on either side of the 
dorsal black warty tubercles is an irregular yellowish line, and an indistinct yel- 
lowish oblique lino extending from the outer line obliquely between the first pair of 
tubercles aud last pair to the dorsal lines. The six true legs are pale, glassy, and 
there are prologs on ninth, tenth, and anal segments. Head green, with sutnral edges 
dark and a few hairs at sides. 

The P«j;a.— Length, .42 inch ; greatest width, .15; wing cases, .21 inch ; pale yel- 
low brown, the fifth segment rather strongly constricted anteriorly and widest ; the 
edges of all the segments anteriorly dark brown. 

The Moth. — Wing expanse from one inch aud ten-hundredths to one inch and fifteen- 
huudredths. The fore wings are grayish brown, with a few short, indistinct, Avavy, 
lighter grayish lines interspersed; transversely across the fore wing near the outer 
margin is a light gray or slightly yellowish band. 

The hind wings are uniformly gray, fringed with short cilia ; beneath, silvery gray 
with numerous brownish gray scales at anterior margin and on fore wing. 

Its Injuries. — The worm feeds on the leaves and the beau pods, some- 
times stripping the vine bare. 

OTHER BEAN INSECTS. 

A Katydid {Plnjlloptcra ohlomji folia Dels.), a Buttertly larva {Euda- 
mus xnoteus Linn.), and a Tineid are also found damaging this crop. 

mSECTS AFFECTING TQE SQUASH. 

In Florida there are many insects found feeding on this plant; the 
Cucumber Flea-beetle (6Vfj;i(7o(7eracHCi««m6' Harris), the 113-spottedDia- 
bfotica {Diahrotica 12-imnctata 0\\\ .),ix^\xri\\}mghug {Halticus hmctafus 
Say), the False Chinch [TripMeps insidiosns Say), a Mining Fly ( Oscinis), 
and an Aphis (/IpAu' cncurbitcv Bucktou) are common on the leaves and 
stems, but have not been observed to do much injury. The life histories 
of and observations concerning the more injurious are given below. 

THE SQUASH BUG. 

[Anasa tri.^fis DeGeer). 

When this bug exists in quantities probably there is no more inju- 
rious insect known to squash and pumpkin vines. The mature bug 
hibernates in the winter under debris, old vines, dry grass, boards, &:c., 
and from early spring to late fall there is a continual succession of 
broods. 

I have taken some specimens in mid-winter, on warm days, in old 
fields and on fences. 

Bistribution. — It is found generally throughout the United States and 



23 

in Canada; Anasa nlderi Stal., found in Mexico, will probably prove to 
be nothing but a climatic or varietal form of this well-known insect: 

Its Life History — Tlie Egg. — Length, .04 inch; oval, flattened, on three sides, so 
that Tvlieii viewed from either end it has a triangular appearance ; in color it is dark 
golden bronze. To the unassisted eye if is smooth and shining, hut when viewed 
under a high-power lens the surface ia reticulated. 

T}ie Larva. — When first hatched the young bug is broadly oval, with long antennae, 
the joints of which are flat, hairy ; the head, thorax, and wing-scales blackish, while 
abdomen is a bright ocher yellow. Length, .08 inch. 

Its Injuries and Food Plants. — It confines its attacks almost exclusively 
to the Squash and Pumpkin, although it is not improbable that other 
cucurbitaceous vines also suffer from it. 

The bug i:>unctures the leaves and the stem of the vine, causing them 
to wrinkle and wither; also the fruit. 

The eggs are laid in patches, twenty or thirty together, on the upper 
or lower surface of the leaves, fastened to the leaf with a stickj^ or gluey 
substance, at night or just before dark, for during tlie day these disgust- 
ing bugs seek shelter in the ground or under trash at the base of the 
vine stalk. 

It is curious to watch them come forth from their hiding places as the 
sun sinks and darkness begins to fall. Brood after brood march up the 
vine, led by an older one, like the different corps of an armj" march to 
the i)arade ground at roll call. They come from everywhere — in the 
ground, under grass, trash, and boards. Indeed, it is astonishing to see 
how soon vine J will be crowded with these bugs, where but a few hours 
before not one could be found. 

Natural Enemies and Parasites. — Birds and fowls, on account of their 
peculiar odor, will not feed on them, and beetles, wasps, and spiders, 
which attack caterpillars and otlier insects, shun it as a foul thing. 
Fortunately, however, there are parasites thatprej' on the egg, and thus 
greatly diminish it, although no author that I am aware of mentions 
this fact. It was therefore. a surprise and a gratification for me when I 
bred three distinct parasites from the eggs the past summer — a Eupel- 
mid, an Encyrtid, and a Telenomid. 

The Squash-bug Egg Telenomus — Telenomus anasw n. sp. — Male and Female. — 
Black, very coarsely irregularly reticulately punctate, with white pubescence; 
antenniB in female .clavate, 12-jointed, brown; in male flagellate, 14-jointed, pale 
brown ; legs, pale brown or yellowish brown ; coxje, black ; abdomen in female, ovate, 
sub-convex above, highly convex beneath, and with a light carina at sides; in male 
somewhat fusiform. Wings, hyaline, with a slight fuscous tinge, pubescent, the mar- 
ginalvein very short, post marginal long, while the stigmal is about two-thirds as 
long as post marginal ; all yellowish. 

Described from numerous specimens bred in .June and July. 

About thirty per cent, of tho eggs collected were parasitized by this 
insect. 

The Squash-bug Egg Encyrtid— £HC.(/r/H« andsce u. sp. — Female. — Length, .05 
inch; robust; head and thorax blue-black; abdomen and tip of scutellum cupreous; 
the very large pleura and cheeks are decidedly blue ; antenme and legs pale brown ; the 



24 

scape at base aud tarsi yellowish. The femora have a large bluish-black blotch in the 
middle. 

Described from two specimens. 

Tlie Eeduvius Egg Eupelmid — Eupchniis rcduvii Iloward.— Seven 
specimens of what I have identified as this species were bred from Auasa 
eggs in Jnly. 

Tor a description of the species see Canadian Entomologist, Vol. XII, 
page 207. 

THE SQUASH BORER. 

{Eudioptis nifidalis Cramer.) 

The worm so commonly fonnd with us boring into squashes, at the 
North goes under the name of " Pickle Worm." There it is found eat- 
ing the leaves and boring into the lleshy portions of the Cucumber. 

Distribution. — It is found in the West Indies, throughout the United 
States, and in Canada. 

Food Plants. — As a borer it is found in Squash, Cucumbers, and Mel- 
ons, but it will also feed on the leaves of all of these vines. The moth 
is very common and it must have other food plants; Guenee mentions 
a species of Potato as its food plant. 

Its Injuries — The worms bore cylindrical holes into the Squash, and 
feed on the fleshy pulp, causing it to rot and decay. 

Parasites. — From one of the ])upie I bred a Chalcid liy, Chalcis ovaia^ 
S.iy, but no other parasites are known to infest it. 

Eemedy. — Professor Riley, Second Missouri Entomological Report, p. 
70, suggests "overhauling the vines early in the summer, and destroying 
the first worms that appear, either by feeding the infested fruit to hogs or 
cattle, or by killing the worms on the spot." 

THE SQUASH VINE BORER. 

(Melittia ceto Westw.). 

This well known insect, unlike Eudioptis tiitidalis, does not bore into 
the Squash or fruit, but into the stem of the vine, often killing it. 

I have taken two or three borers at a time from a single stem, and in 
confinement they jjroved to be cannibalistic — feeding upon one an- 
other — as was exemplified with some 1 attempted to rear this summer. 

]SJ"o borers were observed in the vine until July. 

Distribution. — Found generally throughout the United States. 

Food Plants. — Its attacks are almost strictly confined to the Squash, 
although it has been reported to bore at times into Pumpkin vines. 

Its Life History. — The egg. — The egg is oval and of a dull red. 

The Larva. — Full grown larvic measure from one inch to one inch and a fourth. 
Somewhat depressed, lleshy, soft, tapering at each extremity ; segments ten in num- 
ber, very distinct, the incisions being deep ; the eleventh or hist segment minute, and 
hardly distinct from the tenth. Head retractile, small, brown, paler on the front, and 
w'ith the usual V-like mark on it. First segment or collar with two oblique brown 
marks on the top, converging behind. A dark line, occasioned by the dorsal vessel 



25 

seeu tLroiijili the transparent skin, along the top of the back, Iroiu tbe fourth to the 
tenth rings inclusive. True legs six, articulate, brown ; prolegs wanting or replaced 
by double rows of hooks in pairs beneath the sixth, seventh, eighth, and ninth rings, 
and two single rows under the last ring. Spiracles brown. A few very short harirs 
on each ring, arising singly from little hard points or pit-like, warty substances. 

The Pupa. — This is inclosed in a cocoon made of the squash stalk, tied together 
with a few silken threads. 

The Molh. — The wings expand one inch and one (piarter. Opaque lustrous, olive- 
brown ; hind wings transparent, with the margin and fringes brown ; auteunte 
greenish black, palpi pale yellow, with a little black tuft near the tip ; thorax olive ; 
abdomen deep orauge, with a transverse basal black band, and a longitudinal row of 
five or six black spots ; tibite and tarsi of the hind legs thickly fringed on the in- 
side with black, and on the outside with long orange-colored hairs ; spurs covered 
with white hairs. (Harris.) 

Its Injuries. — The female moth lays an egg ou the vine near the 
roots; the worm which hatches therefrom bores into ami feeds on the 
soft succulent interior of the stem, particularly at its ori^^in near the 
ground, and at the base of the leav^es ; frequently when small the 
worm bores even into the larger leaf-veins. It may easily be detected 
at work b3^ the withering of the leaves and stem. 

Parasites. — I know of no parasites bred from this borer ; although I 
have a large, beautiful, golden green Pteromalid, captured on the 
vines, that may possibly prove to be its i)arasite ; others were seen ou 
the vine or its vicinity. 

Eemedies. — The following suggestions and remedies will be found use- 
ful in destroying the pest: 

Gutting out the larva'. — This method has been long in use by garden- 
ers, and with a little practice one soon becomes quite expert m detecting 
and removing the larvje. 

Bisulphide of Carbon in the Ground. — Prof. C. V. Eilej^ first suggested 
the use of this insecticide in destroying grape phylloxera and Prof. A. 
J. Cook has since used it successfully in destroying this borer. He 
says: "A small hole is made in the earth near the main root of the 
plant by the use of a walking-stick or other rod, and about a teaspoon ful 
of the liquid poured in, when the hole is quickly filled with earth and 
pressed down by the foot." In every instance the insects were killed 
without injury to the plant. 

Gas-lime. — Fresh ga!?-!ime, liberally distributed, after the removal of 
the crop, will kill the larvie within the cocoons. It is well also to fol- 
low Professor Lintner, who says: "An infested crop should not be 
followed by another upon the same ground." 

Treatment icith Saltpeter. — "Four tablespoonfuls dissolved in a pail 
of water, and about a quart applied to each hill where an attack was 
noticed and the leaves were wilting, at the time when the vines were 
just beginning to run nicely, effectually arrested the attack and a fine, 
crop followed." [Country Gentleman.) 



26 



INSECTS AFFECTING THE MELOlS. 

There are two insect pests which seriously dam age this crop in Florida — 
a borer and au Aphis — both damaging the crop annually to the extent 
of thousands of dollars. 

THE MELON BORER, 

{Eudioptis hyalinata Linn.) 

In July the melon crop (Cantaloupes and Musk-melons) is almost 
totally destroyed by the injuries committed by this worm. By the end 
of the month hardly a melon can be found that has not been bored into 
by this destructive pest. 

Distribution. — It is a common and extensively distributed species over 
North America, the West Indies, and South America. Guenee also 
records having received it from French Guiana, 

Its total annihilation is devoutly wished for by growers and lovers of 
^ood melons, and a preventive from its attacks greatly desired. 

Food Plants. — In several instances I have taken the larvte in Squash, 
but it is almost exclusively confined to the Melon. From two to six 
worms have been taken from a single nutmeg melon. Guende states it 
is found in Pumpkins, Watermelons, and other cucurbitaceous plants. 
Now, I have never yet found a borer in Watermelons, and the statement 
that this worm is found in this fruit must be taken cum grano salis. 

The Larva. — Lengtli eight-teuths of an inch. ■ Color Irauslucent gi'een or pale green- 
ish-yellow, with the head and cervical shield yellowish ; the jaws and snrrouudiugs 
of mouth parts black ; from both sides of head issue some fine hairs ; the stigmata are 
yellowish ; the warty tubercles on the different segments are arranged as in the larva 
<yi Eudioptus iiUidaUs, its nearest ally, only they are neither so prominent nor black, 
but green, and the hairs issuing therefrom are very line and almost invisible to the 
naked eye ; the legs are the same in both species. 

TJie Pupa. — This is long and slender, seven-twelfths of au iucli in length, yellow- 
brown, darker, and taperiug to a point at tail; the wing cases are long and rather 
narrow, and the antennal case is very long, projecting beyond the base of the 8th 
ventral segment. All the segments are well separatecl, microscoi)ally rugose and 
wrinkled. The pupa is generally inclosed in a loosely-woven web or cocoon made by 
drawing a leaf together. But this is not always the case. In two instances I found 
tbe pupa loose in the soft pulp of the melon, in the juiciest portion, and it was quite 
lively, twisting its abdomen from side to side and wiggling about like a thing of 
life. 

The Moth, — Wing expanse from one inch and one-sixth to a little over. The wings 
are translucent, pearly white, iridescent, and with a glossy brown-black border; the 
abdomen is also jjcarly white, excepting the last two segments above, which are black- 
ish, and ends iu a tuft of hairs or expanded brush, of a buff color, tipped with white 
and black ; the head and the thorax above are browu-blaciv, glossy ; the legs are white 
excepting the fore-thighs and tibite, which are discolored above with buff-colored 
scales; middle tibiie armed with two spines, one longer than the other; posterior 
tibiaj similarly armed, but with an additional pair iu the middle, beneath. 



27 

Its Injuries. — The larvoe begin by eating the leaves, and tbe diet of 
the. first brood of worms must consist almost exclusively of phyllopha. 
goas food. It is only as the melons begin to mature that the worms 
boieinto them ; for comparatively few green melons were found affected. 

Of the large melons examined, from four to six worms were taken 
from each, and in every case where this happened the melon had reached 
its full growth and was undergoing the i)rocess of ripening. 

This worm does not always bore directly into the interior of tbe fruit, 
sometimes confining itself to the outer rind or boring irregular galleries 
just beneath it; when it attacks the inner or fleshy portions it is most 
destructive, excavating long galleries filled with its soft excrements, in 
which tbe worm wallows and crawls backward and forward, and the 
fruit then soon sours and decays. 

Parasites. — Two parasites were reported on the worm in the Agricul- 
tural Keport for 1879. Au Ichneumonid fly {Pinq)Ia conquisitor Say), and 
11 Tachina fly are represented in Plate III, Fig. (k, of said report. No 
parasites were bred from it bj" me, the majority of the pupae in my breed- 
ing boxes having been destroyed by a small red ant. 

Remedy. — See Squash Borer. 

THE MELON PLANT-LOUSE 

{Aphis citrnlli Ashmead.)* 

My first acquaiutance with this plant-louse was made while on an 
entomological tour to extreme South Florida in April, 1880, on Meta- 
combie Key, where it had completely devastated the melon patch of 
a JNIr. Sands. 

Mr. S., who was a native of the Bahamas, termed the disease 
" Curled Leaf," and was not aware it was caused by an insect, until I 
convinced him of that fact by showing him the insects through my 
pocket lens. 

Distribution. — At times the species is very injurious to melon vines in 
Florida, Georgia, and places in the West. Prof. S. A. Forbes treats of 
this same insect under the name of " the Melon Plant-louse," {Aphis cu- 
eumcris n. sp.), in the Twelfth lleport of the State Entomologist of 
Illinois, page 83. It wan first briefly described by the writer in the 
Florida Dispatch, New Series, Vol. 1, page 241, July 7, 1882, more than 
a year previous to the description by Professor Forbes. t 

Food Plants. — Its attacks are confined generall}" to the watermelon 
vines, although occasionally found on Squash and other Cucurbitaceic. 

In the West its habits seem to be similar. Dr. Cyrus Thomas, in 

* Synonym, Aphis cacnmeris Forbes, 111. Insect Rep., XII, p. b3. 

t Mr. Ashinead disregards the well-known rules of zoological nomenclature in insist- 
ing upon tbe priority of lii.s A. c'Unilli, as a name attached to a description published 
simply in the Florida Dispatch cannot hold. This species should be known as A. 
cucumeris Forbes. — C. V. R. 



28 

the Farmers' lieview for September 2, 1880, says : " There has been 
great complaint among our gardeners this season in reference to a 
plant louse that is doing much injury to the nutmeg and muskmelou 
vines, and also to the cucumber vines. In some instances they have 
almost entirely destroyed the entire fields of vines." 

Its Natural Histouy. — Very Young.— hength, .02 inch; greenish yellow; eyes, 
hrowu ; tips of honey tubes bron-u ; legs pale. 

Wingless Female.— Length, .04 iach; yellow; eyes dark brown; honey tubes 
slightly conical, black; cauda distinct, dark green ; legs pale ; extreme tips of tibiie 
and tarsi black. 

fringed Females. — Length, .05 inch, ovate; head and thorax shining black, some- 
times with the protboracic segment green or yellowish ; the anteume are dark and do 
not reach the honey tubes ; abdomen dark-greenish yellow, spotted along sides ; 
honey tubes black, thickest at base, gradually tapering to tip ; cauda distinct, green- 
ish yellow or dark green ; wings hyaline, with stigma and veins pale yellowish ; legs 
pale, with tarsi and extreme tips of tibiiu and femora black. 

Its Injuries. — The viviparous female breeds very rapidly and is soon 
surrounded by young in various stages of growtli. In a brief time these 
reach maturity, wander oft' to new leaves and shoots, and begin colonies 
of their own. When these lice become too numerous they exhaust the 
vitality of the vine, distort the leaves and cause them to curl up and 
wither. Tbe growing terminal shoots are also crowded with them, and 
then the vine can make no headway ; it is fruitless and dies. 

It is one of the most destructive plant-lice. To illustrate itsdestruc- 
tiveness I cannot do better than quote from an article I wrote in Florida 
Dispatch, July 27, 1882, after investigating its injuries in Georgia: 

Some figures here in regard to the damage done by the "Watermelon Aphis" will 
not be amiss, and will show our planters the necessity for prompt and united efl:ort8 
in its destruction. 

In Georgia the estimated yield of the watermelon crop this year (1882) for ship- 
ment was 900 car-loads, or 900,000 melons. Many at the beginning of the season 
bring $40 and $50 per hundred. However, to keep within a fair valuation and rather 
below the true amount, we will say they bring $25 per hundred, which equals, in 
round numbers, for the crop $225,000. Now, what has been the yield? The ship- 
ments are nearly over, and they have not yet reached 600 car-loadSj a falling off of 
33^ per cent., or a total loss of $75,000, due mainly to the ravages of an insect! 

Tne above statistics of loss are lounded upon data of the estimate yield for but 
three counties, principally Thomas, Brooks, and Lowndes, in Georgia. In Florida 
the crop has from the same cause met with a loss still greater, and we are considera- 
bly below the estimate when we say the total loss to the planters of the two States 
is not less than $150,000. 

Natural Enemies and Parasites. — These have not been specially 
studied, but the enemies and parasites will be found to be similar to 
those of the "Cabbage Ajdiis" — tlies belonging to the family Syrphi- 
dse, the Lace-wings (C//>'^so/)«V7rt'), Chalcid ^ies {Chalcidida',) and Lady- 
birds {Coccinellidw.) 

Remedies. — An important help in their destruction, and to which the 
jdanters' especial attention is requested, atul which is equally ap[)licable 
to other crops, is the following, which, if universally carried out, would 



29 

materially assist in tlie dcstractioii of all uoxionsand destructive iusect 
pests : 

Never jolaut watermelons two successive years in the same field. 
Plant always in au entirelj^ new field and as far off as possible from 
ground in wliicb they were grown the previous year. 

My reason for recommending this is obvious on account of the pecul- 
iarity in the development and propagation of the Aphididaj. The 
spring and summer broods in the majority of the species are vivipa- 
rous, while the fall brood of females are oviparous. The last, therefore, 
lay the eggs, which lie dormant in the ground all winter and hatch with 
the first warm breath of spring; now, then, if this field is plowed up 
and other crops planted, the j'oung aphids have nothing to feed on 
and so perish. 

My observation on this species, too, has been, that it is only trouble- 
some in fields planted in melons two or three years in succession ; new 
melon fields are not affected by it, or to such a small extent as to be uu- 
uoticeable. 

Spraying with a dilute emulsion of kerosene will doubtless prove an 
effectual remedy as with other plant lice. The emulsion should be 
sprayed from the ground up so as to reach the under sides of the leaves, 
Professor Kiley has figured and described devices for this method of 
spraying in his report as entomologist to the Department for 1883, pp. 
136-138, and Plates IV and V. 



REPORT ON BUFFALO- GNATS. 

ByF. M. Webster, Special Agent, 

LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL. 

Lafayette, Ixd., April i'O, 1886, 

Sir : I herewith transmit a report of my investigatious of the habits of the Southern 
Buffalo-guat. 

Iq accordance with your instructions I left my home in La Fayette, Indiana, on 
February 18, reaching Vicksburg, Mississippi, on the 20th. Learning here that these 
gnats appeared every season in greater or less numbers in the vicinity of Somerset 
Landing, Tensas Parish, Louisiana, in company with Mr. T. C. Bedford, of Vicksburg, 
one of the leasers of Somerset Plantation. I left for that locality on the 2:id, reach- 
ing our destination on the same daj'. 

On the 23d, the weather being very pleasant, the day was spent in riding about 
among the teams at work on the plantation, in the hopes of observing some of tbe 
earliest appearing gnats. 

During the afternoon swarms of a species of Aiithomt)ia were observed in the air, and 
I wasj informed that these were the insects that killed cattle and mules. The follow- 
ing day was both cold and rainy, and, in fact, during the two weeks following there 
were but two'days of sunshine. 

During this inclement weather the lakes and bayous about Somerset were carefully 
exa'uined, no trace of the true gnat being found. In the meantime larv;e of An- 
thomiiia were found in considerable abundance about decayed logs and among de- 
cayed leaves in the woods, and, as the planters to whom I applied for information ai- 



30 

most unanimously agreed tbat these adult Anthomijia were the depredators, it really 
seemed tbat the term Buft'alo-gnat here might, like the Tent-worui and the Weevil in 
other localities, include a variety of insects. 

Wishing to make the best possible use of time, I utilized the bad weather also by 
visiting our correspondent, Mr. Robert E. Craig, at Luna Landing, Chicot County, 
Arkansas, spending a few days there, and at Greenville, Miss., returning to Somer- 
set March 8. 

The 9th and 10th being pleasant, the Aiifhomji'ta again appeared, but, although 
very demonstrative, none were observed to alight upon the teams at work. This fact 
led to the impression that my information had been incorrect, and that I was on the 
wrong track. This proved tru>?, for during my entire stay I never saw one of these 
Anthonii/ia alight on stock. 

On the 11th word came that mules were being harassed by gnats on a plantation 
six miles to the northwest, and, on the following day, I rode out to that locality and 
found the true gnat in considerable numbers. 

Four days were now spent in a fruitless search for the adolescent stages in the 
baj'ous and ditches adjacent to the locality where the adults had now appeared, and 
as many more were lost on account of bad weather. 

During this time, and up to noon of the 20th, no adult gnats had appeared on the 
Somerset plantation. A strong northwest wind had, however, set in during the morn- 
ing, and by evening the gnats were quite abundant. The next day (Sunday) the 
wind blew still stronger from the same quarter, and Monday morning, the '22d, found 
them abundant enough to cause some considerable uneasiness among the teams at 
work. 

Fully satisfied now that these gnats did not breed in the vicinity of Somerset, I 
started out on horseback, and after riding for about eight miles toward the northwest 
reached a small stream known as Mill Bayou. Following this down stream, through 
the woods, the current soon became quite rapid, the banks being more or less grown 
up with brush and bushes, to below the water's edge. The gnats, too, wJiose num- 
bers had been continually increasing, now became numerous enough to worry my 
horse considerably. 

Finding that little could be accomplished in the way of inspecting the stream with- 
out a, boat, and it being too late in the day to procure oue, I returned to Somerset. 

On the next day, the 2'3d, procuring a dugout, a thoro ugh examination was made, 
not only of Mill Bayou, but of two others, tributaries to it, one of which had no per. 
ceptible current, the result being that where there was no current no larvic of gnats 
could be found. As the current became sluggish a few were observed, the number in- 
creasing in proportion to its rapidity, reaching the maximum in numbers in the 
swiftest current of Mill Bayou ; always provided, howeve r, there was sufiBcient mate- 
rial to which to attach themselves. Thus, the larvte would occur abundantly on one 
side of the stream, where a bend caused it to run very swiftly, while on the opposite 
side, in comparatively' still water, few could be found. 

Upon inquiry and personal investigation, this bayou was found to be receiving 
water from the Mississippi River through Lake Palmyra and Bayou Vidal, and also 
that its water rose and fell with that of the river itself, until the height ©f the latter 
fell below 25 feet on the gauge at Vicksburg. 

It now seemed (juite important to learn. to what extent, if any, the other inland 
bayous were influenced in this manner, and,ns the country is of difficult access, I 
thought best to visit our correspondent, Judge A. A. Guuby, of M .uroe, Louisiana, 
whose circuit I knew comprised the entire infested territory of the northwestern por- 
tion of the State, and whom, I learned, was then at home on a short vacation. 

Leaving Somerset on the 25th, and returning again on the 31st, I was, by this 
journey, enabled not only to obtain nnich valuable information from Judge Gunby, 
but also to examine the Washita River, and also, but very superficially, on account 
of recent heavy rains, the country between it and the Mississippi River. 



31 

Fiuislaing my labors at Somerset ou the 7tli of April, I bade a final adieu to the 
country and turned homeward. 

To Maj. T. C. Bedford, of Vicksburg, and Mr. J. B. O'Kelley, of Somerset Landing, 
I am under very many obligations. From first to last — and I made the latter gentle- 
man'shome my headquarters for over a month — both left nothing undone that could 
aid me in my work, or make my stay pleasant. 

To Judge F. H. Fauei-, of Bayou Sara, Judge E. D. Faner, and other gentlemen of 
Vicksburg, to General Furgerson, of the Mississippi Loan Board, Judge Gunby, and 
Messrs. Robert E. Craig and John M. Lee, I am under obligations for both personal 
courtesies and aid in my investigatious. 

And lastly, I have had your own kindly advice and counsel, the more valuable from 
your personal knowledge of the country and of the insect. 
EespectfuUy, 

F. M. WEBSTER. 

Dr. C. V. Riley, 

EntomologisL 

There is uo antbentic record of the occurrence of the Southern Bnffalo- 
gnat in Louisiana prior to the year 1850, when there seems to have 
been some complaint of their harassing domestic animals, but no fa- 
tality is known to have resulted. A vague rumor exists to the effect 
that they had previously appeared in 1840; but this lacks confirmation. 
The earliest record I have been able to obtain of stock being killed by 
gnats was related to me by Mr. Jacob Alexander, present mayor of 
Greenville, Miss., who states that he observed cattle being killed by 
gnats at Clarendon, Ark., in the spring of 1859. 

A colored man, formerly an overseer, states that mules were killed by 
gnats near Refuge, Miss., in 18G1 and 1862. General Furgerson, who 
came to Greenville, Miss., in 18G2, with a battery of Confederate artillery, 
states that gnats were exceedingly troublesome to horses and mules 
during the spring of that year. They were also observed in Concordia 
Parish, Louisiana, during the spring of 1802. 

In 1803 and 1801 the gnats were very abundant about Shreveport, 
La., and also Chicot County, Arkansas. No trouble is reported during 
1805, but in 1800 the alluvial country between the Arkansas and Red 
Rivers lying east of the Washita was literally overrun with the pests. 
Mr. T. S. Coons, an intelligent planter living at the time near New Car- 
thage, Tensas Parish, Louisiana, preserved a written memorandum made 
at the time the gnats first appeared. 

From this record we learn that up to the afternoon of April 11 no 
gnats had been observed, but towards evening they came in hordes, 
settling upon and biting the mules and horses and throwing them into 
the greatest agony. Of C mules and 2 horses belonging to Mr. Coons, 
all of which were as well as usual on the morning of the 11th, the morn- 
ing of the 12th found only one mule alive. In the meantime, a neigh- 
boring planter had lost 30 mules, and Mr. Douglas, on Somerset plan- 
tation, a few miles below, had lost 75 mules. 

The mortality throughout the parishes of Madison, Tensas, and Con- 



32 

Gordia, within a few days, amounted to upwards of 4,000 mules and 
horses, principally the former. 

Although frequently causing' more or less trouble and loss, the gnats 
did not again appear, generally, and in such countless myriads until 
1882, although they caused serious injury in Tensas Parish in 1873 and 
1871, and doubtless in other localities also. 

But in 1882 thej' were more destructive to stock than ever before. 
The deer were driven from the woods, and frequently took refuge from 
their tormenters in the smokes, built by planters for the protection ot 
their cattle; when in their agony they would allow people to rub the 
gnats from their bodies, and would even lay down in the glowing em- 
bers, or hot ashes, in their frantic endeavors to seek relief. 

In 1881 the gnats again appeared in great numbers, and were fully as 
destructive as in 1882. Throughout Franklin Parish, Louisiana, within a 
week from their first appearance, they had caused the death of 3,200 
head of stock. And for the first time in the history of the pest, they 
attacked horses and mules on the streets, and in the stables, in the city 
of Yicksburg, Miss. 

No general outbreak took place in 1885, yet they appeared in Tensas 
and Franklin Parishes in sufiQcieut numbers to kill quite a number of 
mules. 

During the present season, although the gnats appeared pretty gen- 
erally throughout the country between the mouth of the Arkansas and 
that of the Ked Eiver, and westward to the Washita, and along the 
Yazoo River in Mississippi, no fatality to stock had been reported up 
to April 10, and there had been little or no suspension of work on 
plantations on account of gnats. 

Generally speaking, the Southern Buffalo-gnat may be said to infest 
the low, flat, wooded country adjacent to the Mississippi River and its 
tributaries, from the mouth of the Red River in Louisiana as far north 
at least as Southern Missouri. 

I have found nothing to indicate that these gnats originate in large 
streams, or even in small ones in hilly localities, although the latter 
may have both a swift current and a rocky bed. The fact of adult 
gnats occurring in such localities, even in destructive numbers, is not of 
itself sufficient proof of their having originated there, as they maybe 
carried long distances, and in immense numbers, by a strong wind. 
Furthermore, I have found no indication of their origin in other than 
perennial streams, although many intermittent bayous and small lakes 
were closely examined with this point in view. 

From the foregoing, we are forced to the conclusion that these gnats 
follow the tendency of others of the genus, and breed exclusively in 
the running water of small streams. But besides this, there is another 
equally essential element, viz, something to which the insect can at- 
tach itself during the adolescent stages. As no rocks are found in these 
bayous and small streams, w^ find the larvue utilizing wholly or partly 



33 

submerged stamps, brash, bushes, or any other material of like nature^ 
clusteriug- apou or making their way upward aud downward with a 
looping gait, or attached by a minute thread-like spider web, they sway 
'with the ripples at or near the surface of the water, often half a dozen 
being attached by a single thread. While these larvae make their way 
up and down these submerged objects with perfect freedom, they do 
not venture above the water, and when about to pupate select a situa- 
tion well down toward the bottom of the stream. In deep water they 
were found 5 to 10 feet below the surface, and also much higher up. 
But in shallow water they may be found in the pupal stage, clustered, 
one above the other, just above the bottom of the stream, their instinct 
having evidently taught them to provide for a sudden fall in the water. 
Notwithstanding this, with the water falling at the rate of 1 foot per 
day, I found many pupse had been left high and dry. 

These pupte are at first of a light brown color, afterwards changing 
to a pinkish cast, and, just previous to the emerging of the adult, to 
black. Daring the first of these coloral epochs they are attached to 
these vegetable substances by the thoracic filaments, by threads about 
the body and at the anal extremity, somewhat after the manner of some 
Lepidoi)terous chrysalids; bat daring the last two the pupne hang by 
the short anal attachment alone, and in this way swing about freely in 
the current, the adult issuing from beneath the water after the manner 
of others of the genus. 

The time and exact place of oviposition as well as the exact length of 
time required lor the insect to pass through either the larval or the 
pupal stage I was unable to determine. But when I left Mill Bayou, 
on March 24, the larva? were nearly all of a uniform size and probably 
nearly full grown, a few only being one-fourth to one-half as large. On 
returning, on April 1, nearly all larva? had passed the pupa stage, aud 
the adults had emerged; all of those larvne now remaining being as 
large as the majority were on March 24. This, besides indicating that 
the breeding season was nearly ended, also leaves some grounds for the 
inference that several broods may be thrown off, during early spring, 
in rapid succession ; some strength being added to this theory by the 
fact that, as I now learned from those residing near this bayou, the 
cattle had been driven from the woods, in the vicinity of the stream 
about the 20th of February. These are points which the necessarily 
limited period during which I had the adolescent stages under consider- 
ation, and the sudden, and to me rather unexpected, termination of the 
breeding season, prevented m^^ settling. 

The adult gnats are usually observed in the vicinity of places where 
they breed, during the first warm days of spring, and they remain from 
ten days to three or ^our weeks, seeming to prefer a moderately cool tem- 
perature; and hence, during warm weather, are more numerous in the 
early morning and towards evening, frequently being as troublesome 
during bright moonlight nights as during the day time. They are said 
22340— No. 14 3 



34 

to spcDd tbeiiiglit among grass and like herbage. They are exceedingly 
active, and no sooner have they gained a foothold on an animal than 
they are busy at their bloody work, selecting the breast, flanks, ears, 
.nose, or wherever the skin is the most easily punctured. 

Very inconspicuous iu their flight, makinglittle noise, seldom arising 
more than a few feet from the ground, they often bite mules working in 
the fields, sufflciently to cause death before their presence in considera- 
ble numbers has been discovered. This will, perhaps, account for the 
prevailing notion that the bite of these gnats first appearing is the 
most poisonous, for inclement weather and adverse winds may cause 
them to ai)pear, for the first, at any time during the breeding season, 
in localities where they do not actually originate, and, as will be shown 
farther on, the same wind that holds them back from one locality may 
convey them to another. It would appear as rather more probable, 
however, that the poison introduced into the animals' system by the 
bites of the first gnats, unless sufficient to prove fatal, may to some ex- 
tent serve as an antidote for that introduced by those appearing later j 
and should this poison remain iu the system with considerable stability, 
the fact would alsoaccountfor acclimated stock being less susceptible to 
poison from the bites of these gnats than those unacclimated. Except 
in the case of great numbers, death does not necessarily follow the bite 
of these gnats, and even then it is not suddenly fatal. Mules that at 
night do not appear to be seriously injured will often be found dead 
next morning. 

Stock, and mules especially, that have been fatally^bitten by gnats 
are affected iu much the same manner as Avith colic, and, in fact, many 
think the bites bring on that disease. But Dr. Warren King, of 
Vicksburg, who has made a large number of post mortem examina- 
tions, states that he has never been able to obtain any facts which w^ould 
justify such a conclusion. 

Dr. King opines that the effects of these bites from gnats are on 
animals much the same as that of the rattlesnake on the human sys- 
tem ; and this seems to be the generally accepted opinion among the 
more intelligent planters. " 

In regard to artificial methods of counteracting the poison of gnats, 
there is of course no end, apropos to which, one planter remarks that if 
the gnats failed to kill the mule the remedies used certainly would. 
Be this as it may, I could learn of no measures that had been generally 
tested and proved effective, and no opportunity was offered me to make 
any experiments in that direction. 

Dr. King recommends rubbing the affected animal thoroughly with 
water of ammonia, and administering internally a mixture of 40 to 50 
grains of carbonate of ammonia to one pint of whisky, repeating the 
dose every three or four hours until relieved. The doctor claims to 
have never lost an animal under this treatment, although they were 
sometimes apparently beyond recovery. This measure I do not think 



35 

is generally known, bnt it certainly contains sufficient merit to warrant 
a thorough and careful trial. Various external applications, such as 
decoctions of Alder leaves, tobacco, pennyroyal and other herbs, have 
been tried Avith a view of preventing gnats from biting mules while at 
work, but all of these have proven ineffective. A mixture known as 
Gnat Oil is now the chief protection, but this is apt to remove the hair 
and is considered injurious to the mules. Fish-oil, and also a mixture 
of Kerosene and Axle-grease, are both useful, but none of these can be 
used to advantage on stock running at large. 

Smokes made about the fields serve as a partial protection, both to 
teams at work and stock in pasture. Smoldering fires of cotton seed 
are also made in tin cans and like objects, and these are hung about the 
teams at work. 

While these protective agencies are of considerable service when there 
are comparatively few gnats, they are of little value in seasons of great 
abundance, for then stock can onl^^ be protected by placing them in 
dark stables, the gnats having a great aversion to entering dark places. 
1 am told that to look for relief from simply killing the gnats would be 
worse than hopeless, for, though millions were destroyed, they would 
not be missed. 

Judging from the results of some experiments made with insecticides 
b}' mj'self upon larvte of the gnats, it will be nearly if not quite im- 
possible to reduce their numbers by killing them in the streams. 

These experiments were made by confining the larvie in glass tubes 
and submitting them to a current of the decoctions or solutions indi- 
cated below. 

Larvae remained in a decoction of China berries for half an hour with, 
out apparent effect, and the same larvse immediately withstood a brine 
of salt water, composed of a heaping handful of salt to seven quarts of 
water, for twenty minutes, and still remained alive. Lime-water and 
sulphur and water had no effect. Strong tar-water killed them, but 
diluted it proved harmless. Kerosene emulsion, diluted to contain 5 
per cent, kerosene, was effective, but it would be impossible to get a 
strength of even 1 per cent, in the stream. About an ounce of Bisul- 
phide of Carbon was i)laced in seven quarts of water, but half an hour in 
this failed to affect the larvtw About three ounces was placed in same 
amount of water, and this proved fatal within ten minutes. 

From this it will be seen that while the larvte are susceptible to ordi- 
nary insecticides, it will be next to impossible to place a sufficient 
amount in a stream to affect them. At the time, too, when remedial 
measures are the most needed these streams are swollen, and are often 
from ten to twenty yards wide and half as deep. Besides, both men and 
beasts are dependent upon these streams for their water-supply, and 
cutting this off by introducing poisons would cause almost as much trou- 
ble as the gnats. 

Notwithstanding all attemi)ts to camb.it this i)est have so far been 



36 

discouraging, there is yet some hope of relief, aud that, too, from quar- 
ters little expected, by myself at least, wlieu these iuvestigations begau. 

But, iu order to fully uuderstaud the matter, it will be necessary to 
bring together, not oidy chronological data relating to tbe insect in 
question, but to the height of water in the large streams during thei)ast 
tbirty-five or forty years. Also, we must understand som'ething of tlie 
nature of the country which these gnats inhabit, as> well as the elements 
necessary to their production. And not only must these facts- be 
weighed independently, but very carefully with relation to each other, 
for it is more than probable that it is through a combination of circum- 
stances that the pest holds its sway. 

A very noticeable feature connected with the occurrence of the Buf- 
falo gnat is, that below the Arkansas Eiver there is no record of any 
fatality to stock, attributable to gnats, .previous to the outbreak of the 
war, even in seasons of high water. But since that time the two have 
occurred in connection with such regularity that the fact has been 
noted by even the most unobserviug; that is, in season of low water 
during the first three or four months of the year, there have been few 
gnats, but with high water during these months they were abundant, 
reaching the maximum during an overflow. 

The banks of the rivers of this alluvial district are peculiar, in that 
the country slopes from instead of toward the streams. Hence water, 
escaping through the banks first runs inland, and then more or less 
parallel with the parent stream, until it can emj)ty its waters into a 
larger tributary. Of this characteristic of the Mississippi, Eed, and 
Yazoo Elvers, whether considered individually or collectivel.y, I do 
not think it would be too much to say that it is one of the primary 
causes of the production of the gnats in such destructive numbers. 

My own observations were almost wholly confined to the country 
lying between the Arkansas and Red Eivers on the one hand and be- 
tween the Mississippi and Washita on the other. This section is of 
difiicult access, and I have relied for my information principally upon 
civil engineers and other people familiar with topography of the coun- 
try, as my own time was largely occupied iu studying the gnats them- 
selves in Tensas Parish. 

With the exception of a low, wide ridge of country lying between 
Boeuf Eiver and Bayou Mason, and extending from Franklin Parish to 
Southern Arkansas, and known as the Bayou Mason Hills, this whole 
ri'gion is very flat ; and the streams, with only rain and sewage water 
to Carry off, would naturally have a sluggish current. A glance over 
the map of this section will show that it is traversed by Bayous Bar- 
tholomew and Mason, and Eivers Bceuf and Tensas, the last two 
really not materially ditfering from bayous. 

Three of these will be observed to originate in extreme Southeastern 
Arkansas, and running south-southwest, finally unite together, and form 
Black Eiv^er, which is a tributary of the Washita. 



37 

Besides these main bayous there are iunumerable smaller ones which 
ofteu intersect them and each other, so that if oue of the main streams 
becomes suddenlj^ swollen, the water escapes from it into all of the 
others, and if continued, atfects the whole internal water system. 

These bayous all differ from the rivers, in that the descent from the 
top of the bank to the water is much more gradual, and ""this slope is 
apt to be more or less over<;rown with brush and bushes to below low- 
water mark. Hence, it will be seen that whatever contributes to the 
volume of water in these bayous not only adds rapidity to the current, 
but brings it more and more in contact with the second element, viz, 
material to which the larvae can attach themselves, and we have the 
same state of attairs as in Mill Bayou. 

In Louisiana there is but one locality where water from the Missis- 
sippi gets through the bank into these inland bayous, and that is by 
way of Bayou Vidal and Mill Bayou, although in very high water it 
runs into Roundaway Bayou a couple of miles above B a you Vidal at Dia 
mond Bend. The next opening is at Master's Bend, a short distance 
north of the Arkansas line, and the water coming in through it enters 
both Bayou Mason and Tensas Kiver. The next break is just above 
Luna Landing, and is known as Whisky Short; another. Panther For- 
est, is just below Gaines's Landing. Of the effect of these last two 
openings extracts from a letter received from Mr. Robert E. Craig, who 
resides on Point Chicot, in tlie immediate vicinity, will fully explain : 

"If you will examine your map you will find Lake Mason lies at right 
angle across head of ' Tensas Basin.' The recent rise in the river was 
high enough to run into Lake Mason, the southern bank of which is 
high. There are two or three bayous through this bank which let the 
water into all bayous east of Bartholomew, but not enough water to 
overflow the lower banks of any one of them. Lake Chicot also filled 
at the same rise in the river, and is gradually being emptied through 
the Mason and Boeut'." Mr. Craig also adds : " When you were here, bay- 
ous were all receiving Mississippi River water through Lake Mason and 
Lake Chicot." It was during "the recent rise" to which Mr. Craig re- 
fers that I was his guest at Point Chicot. And on March 2d, the day 
after my arrival, the water measured 27.8 feet on the gauge at Memphis, 
and 38.2 feet at Yicksburg, as the signal officer at the latter city in- 
formed me. 

It will be proper to state here that up to the breaking out of the war, 
owing to the perfect levee system, water was prevented from escaping 
into these bayous. During the war, these levees were destroyed by the 
caving of the river and through other causes, and the places where wa- 
ter now escapes from the Mississippi River and runs inland are breaks 
that have never been rebuilt. 

As the season of high water usually occurs during late winter and 
early spring, the effect of this influx of water is not only to fill these in- 
land bayous, but to keep them full during the breeding season of the 
gnats. Hence the ettects, if any o^cur, should be noticeable in the 



38 

number of gnats and the amount of damage done by them in the 
vicinity of the streams thus influenced. 

They appear in the viciuity of Mill Bayou every year in greater or 
less numbers, and I have twice observed them being carried from them 
to Somerset plantation by a heavy northwest wind, aud as often ob- 
served tliem *>;radiially disappear under winds blowing equally strong 
from the nortli, northeast, and south. 

Strong winds, blowing from a northwesterly quarter, bring gnats sud- 
denly and in great numbers to the neighborhood of Lake Saint Joseph, 
six to eight miles below Somerset. Judge Gunby states that they appear 
at Monroe with an east wind ; Mr. Craig observes them at Point Chicot 
with a west or southwest wind, and at the time they appeared in the 
city of Vicksburg they came with a westerly wind. 

Probably the worst afflicted parish in Louisiana is that of Franklin, 
which is situated between and at the junction of Boeuf River and Bayou 
Mason. Judge Gunby aud others well acquainted with the country 
through which these two streams How state that guats appear with 
more regularity aud in greater numbers in that vicinity than elsewhere. 
Mr. Craig states that they occur to some extent every year along these 
streams in Arkansas, being observed the most numerous the present 
season near Bayou Mason. This is in accordance with all reliable in- 
formation which I have been able to obtain, and, aside from the country 
about Mill Bayou, coincides with my own observations. 

In connection with this evidence we can also observe that these 
gnats are yearly being produced in numbers close up to the danger 
line, only an overflow being required to furnish the conditions suitable 
for carrying them far beyond. Soon after these investigations began I 
learned that the Buffalo Gnat did not occur below the mouth of the 
Red River. Wishing definite information on this point, I addressed a 
letter to Judge F. H. Farrer, of Bayou Sara, La., whose reply is given 
herewith, and I will only say that the facts embodied therein have since 
been corroborated by planters whom I have met from that region : 

Bayou Sara, La., March 9, 1886. 

Dear Sir: Yours of the 4tli instant was received day before yesterday, Sunday. 
Court being in session, a great many farmers were in town, aud I liad [denty of old, 
experienced men to apply to for iuformatiou in regard to the Butfalo-guat.. 

Many bad been familiar with the mischief it did farther north, but all agreed that, 
except to young turkeys aud other poultry, it worked little or uo harm in tliis region, 
either iu low or high lauds. A. few indeed asserted that tlie one here was a different 
insect, known by the name of "turkey guat," but the large majority maintained that 
it was the same humpbacked individual so destructive in North and Northwest Lou- 
isiana. I presume that it never appears in such numbers here as there. 

My own experience, as fiir as it goes, agrees with that of the majority with whom I 
spoke on the subject, viz, that the genuine Butfalo-gnat is to be seen hero every 
spring for a few weeks, but is by no mcaus the dangerous pest to cattle, horses, &c., 
that it is in Northern Louisiana. 
Respectfully, yours, »fcc., 

F. H. FARRAR. 

F. M. Webster, Esq., Vicksburg, Miss. 



39 

In summing uj) the matter we find tbat so long as this influx of river 
water was prevented no damage occurred by reason of gnats, even in 
the district now the worst infested, and we also find that in other j)arts 
of the same State, where this influx is still ijrevented, no trouble is ex- 
perienced. 

Hence it seems but reasonable that, if this protection was restored, 
the trouble would, within a few years at most, subside to its former state. 
This time would be materially hastened by the removal of uuderbiusb, 
&c., which would come in contact with the current in portions of these 
inland streams where it runs the most swiftly. This lasc remedial 
measure might also be applied to bayous afl'ected by high water of the 
Eed, Yazoo, and other smaller rivers. 

From the fact that the gnat breeds during the season when the water 
is cool, and ceases as it gets warmer, it seems not impossible that the 
infusion of the icy current of those rivers flowing from the north into 
those breeding places might serve to prolong the breeding season. The 
truth of this point can only be obtained by future study. 

It is also possible that a more extended study of the Bufifalo-gnat and 
the entire country it infests might, to some extent, modify the conclu- 
sions arrived at in this report ; but with the evidence now before me 
they appear correct. 



THE NATIVE PLUMS— HOW TO FRUIT THEM— THEY ARE PRACTI- 
CALLY CURCULIO PROOF. 

By D. B. WiER, Lacon, 111. 

During the past forty years, in the vast region of North America ly- 
ing west, north, and south of Lake Michigan, and the west line of the 
State of Indiana, it has been impossible to succeed in fruiting the fine, 
large, delicious Garden Plums {Pninus domestica) of Western Europe, for 
the reasons that the trees were not hardy in this fierce Western climate. 
The fruit was destroyed by the Plum Curculio {Coriotrachelus nenuphar), 
and of late years, if not so destroyed, " rotted," ijarticularly south, be- 
fore maturity. 

Long and persistent trials of this species of plum in the West, by the 
most car(;ful and expert cultivators, have proven that it is folly to longer 
attempt to cultivate the old and well known varieties of these plums, 
for in the northern i)art of this region neither the trees nor their roots 
will withstand the sev^erity of the winters, and south, if we j^rotect the 
fruit from Plum Curculio, it seldom escapes total annihilation by " rot " 
before arriving at maturity, and, as a rule, for many years all intelligent 
cultivators have given up its cultivation, and have been anxiously seek- 
ing for a substitute, and have repeatedly selected for this purpose the 
finer varieties of our two most common s])ecies of 



40 



NATIVE PLUMS. 

The Chickasaw Plum {Primus chickisa) found indigenous from North- 
ern Illinois to the Gulf of Mexico, and the wild yellow or red plum 
{Prunus americana) found indigenous over nearly the whole continent. 
These are two quite distinct races (for they cannot be regardetl as dis- 
tinct species) of the subgenus Prunus of the Almond family {Amygdalta)^ 
order Rosacea?. And a tyi)ical tree of either so-called species is very 
distinct in fruit, foliage, and general appearance from a typical tree of 
the other. But so far as we ar^ concerned in this study of them they are 
practically the same, except that the fruit of the P. americana, or North- 
ern type, has much the thicker, tougher, aiul more acerb skin, and that 
some of the Chickasaw, or Southern type, do not i)rovehardy far North, 
i. e., some of the named varieties, while others do, and the same would 
undoubtedly prove true of P. americana. But as this last is found grow- 
ing wild, and with good varieties, at least as far north as the northern 
limit of Dakota, these native plums are a fruit in some of their varieties 
lierfectly adapted to every part of the United States and lerritoriesand 
pre-eminently the fruit of the great Northwest. 

Yet, as a rule, those who have taken these wild plums from their na- 
tive thickets and planted and carefully cultivated them, in hope of find- 
ing at least a i)oor substitute for the Garden Plum, have met with a com- 
plete, decisive failure. They got no fruit. We, the older settlers of 
the West (Illinois), knew the wild plums as the most plentiful and use- 
ful of the wild fruits when the country was first settled and when our 
" tame " plums failed (for it is a fact that in this part of Illinois as early 
as 1845 we fruited many varieties of the Garden Plum, Nectarines^ 
Peaches, and Apricots in abundance, with no injury from the Plum Cur- 
culio, or " rot"). We began to hunt out and plant the finer varietiesof 
the " wild" ones, some of which were most beautiful, large and fine, and 
of very good quality. But after years of patient waiting we found that 
these gave no fruit in their new homes, except very rarely. We found 
that the young fruit developed to the size of a little pea, or a little larger, 
and indeed often to more than half its full size, and then all fell off. 

This fallen fruit, if examined, showed very generally the ovipositing 
marks of the Plum Curculio, made when laying her eggs. 

It is not necessary here to give the complete natural history of this 
insect, because all the more important facts and their practical bear- 
ings have been recorded by competent writers, and especially by Wals)i 
in his first report as State entomologist of Illinois, and by Rile}' in his 
third report on the insects of Missouri ; but it will be sufiQcient to say that 
it is a small insect of the Curculio {CurcuUonidw) or snout-beetle family 
that deposits its eggs under the skin of the young fruit of all the smooth- 
skinned species of the Almond family, or nearly all of them, and some 
other fruits as well. The eggs are deposited in little holes eaten through 



41 

and under the skin of the fruit by the mother beetles, and so soon as 
deposited she cuts around and under the egg, leaving a crescent or new- 
moon shaped mark on the fruit, with a round dot (hole where the egg 
was laid) between the two horns of the crescent. In the Garden Plums, 
Nectarines, Peaches, Apricots, late Cherries, &c., these eggs soon hatch 
and bring forth white, footless grubs, which burrow through the pulp 
of the fruit and live and grow fat on its substance, and at the time 
when the fruit should mature, instead of a fine, delicious fruit, one finds, 
though perhaps quite fair without, a mass of rottenness within, with a 
nasty grub wallowing around in its own excrement, and the rotten pulp 
of the fruit, thereby completely destroyfng it for any purpose whatever 
as a fruit. 

That the numbers of this pest have grown less each year for the past 
ten years, and more especially duriug the last three years, is the evi- 
dence of all careful observers. This grand result has evidently been 
brought about by the continuously-increasing numbers of its natural 
enemies, in the form of other insects, &c., and if this rate of decrease 
and increase keeps on, we may in the near future be so relieved of this 
pest as to be able to have fair crops of the stone fruits without using 
preventive measures. 

So much about the PlumCnrculio is necessary for the general reader 
in understanding this paper, and it is well to continually bear in mind 
that, until a very recent date, the native i)lnms were considered as one 
of the fruits totally destroyed bj' the Plum Curculio by all, unless it 
was " Curculio proof" or protected from the parent beetle. But this be- 
lief was not and is not true, for we shall find as we proceed that all, or 
nearly all, of the native plums are practically curculio proof. And 
what is of very much more value, we will find that instead of breeding 
and multiplying the Plum Curculio, they scarcely breed them at all,, 
and that if these plums are planted in sufficient quantity they will 
greatl}^ reduce its numbers and. protect other fruit from its ravages. 

Then, of course, when we found nearly every fallen fruit marked with 
the peculiar marks made by the Curculio when laying her eggs, we all 
of us, professors of entomologj", professors of horticulture, fruit-growers, 
and " clod-hoppers" at once jumped to the conclusion that the " Little 
Turk" (so called from her ovipositing mark being crescent-shaped) was. 
the cause of the loss of our plums. We all believed this to be true ; we 
looked for no other explanation ; we had no data on which to base a 
search for any other explanation, so we sheathed our weapons and re- 
treated from the field vanquished. 

In the mean time what few matured plum thickets were left, the few 
that had escaped the farmer's grubbing hoe, continued to give annually 
bountiful crops of fruit, the Curculio to the contrary notwithstanding, 
and, whether stung or not by that insect, matured and ripened their 
fruit. 

It is true that the freer in these wild plum patches were not as vig- 



42 

orons and healthy as they were wlieii we gray-headed chaps were boys, 
for their surroundings had been changed, greatly changed. Their old 
companion plants were nearly all gone; new plants, usurpers, had takeu 
their places and their environment was changed. 

These new plants were many of them very injurious and detrimental 
to the vigor of the trees, and with the advent of man had come his herds; 
they tramped the ground down hard over their roots ; they laid bare 
the surface of the soil to the direct rays of the sun by eating the herb- 
ixgQ. Things injurious to the foliage and fruit of the trees, in the shape 
of new insects and new diseases, were introduced, but with all of this 
ii few wild plum thickets survived and matured plums. Why these did 
mature fruit under these adverse circumstances, and why the selections 
we made of a few fine plums from perhaps some of the most fruitful of 
these same thickets could not be made to mature a plum with all the 
care and petting we could give them, when planted in our garden or or- 
chard, to explain this, to give the reasons why, and to show how easily 
all can have this valuable and delicious fruit in abundance, is the mo- 
tive of preparing this paper for publication. 

And now I will begin my task. I was born here (Marshall County, 
Illinois) in 1834, and can therefore well remember the country as it was, 
and the wild plums as they were before the Plum Curculio made its 
first destructive showing here in 1845. Then we had these plums 
everywhere ; " the woods were full of them." The valleys of the smaller 
streams were almost one continuous and unbroken i)lum thicket from 
source to mouth. The edges of the prairies were skirted with them. 
They were the most plentiful and useful of all our wild fruits. 

As a boy I was passionately fond of fruit of all kinds, and the lo 
cation of all good wild fruits that I could find was stored up in my 
memory for future use. 

Many of the wild plums, as I remember them, growing in our woods 
were very poor in quality — many good, a few very good, and a still 
smaller proportion of them very good and very handsome. 

About the year 1841 I found growing in the edge of a plum thicket a 
beautiful young tree, with a few large bright golden plums on it, kissed 
by the sun until their cheeks blushed crimson, antl, when ripe, of deli- 
cious, honeyed perfumed flavor, large, oblong, and most beautiful. The 
next fall it was fairly loaded with its glorious fruit. I determined to 
secure this prize and have it all my own. I took it up very carefull}', 
transplanted it into the garden, and tended it with the greatest care; 
it grew finely in its new home, but never matured a fruit; it bloomed 
and set fruit freely, but it soon all fell off, but they were not stuncj by 
the Plum Curculio ! It was before the advent in great numbers of 
that now numerous pest. 

I next tried the European or Garden Plum ; they bloomed, fruited, 
but every plum was destroyed by the Flam Curculio before maturing. 



43 

At last a dry autumu, followed by a severe winter, cleaned these out, 
roots and all. 

I next heard of a variety of the Native Plums called the Miner ; heard 
a great mass of testimony as to its being thoroughly hardy, entirely 
"curculio proof," and yearly productive of good, large, salable fruit. 
I procured 500 trees of this variety and planted them in an orchard, the 
spring of 1863, and, with the exception noted farther on, these trees have 
i)0t to this day matured one peck of fruit. This variety is about half 
way betweeu or a hybrid between the extreme types of the two si^ecies 
first mentioned. I next learned of the celebrated plum of the Southern or 
Chickasaw* type, known as the "■ Wild Goose" plum, in 18G7. I procured 
a few scions of it, and top-grafted them in the center of the Miner or- 
chard. Fiveof these grafts grew, and the next spring the grafts bloomed 
freely aiul set a large amount of fruit, nearly every one of which ma- 
tured fnlly. The great, bright red oblong fruit hung on ropes on these 
grafts, and I was so excited over them that I nearly went plum crazy. 
They ripened the first half of July and they were snapped up in oar 
little town at 25 cents per quart. In my dreams I saw golden visions ; 
a fortune from plums stared me in the face. Thinking all was right with 
this i)lum, so soon as I could obtain trees I planted 800 of them in 
orchard. They grew and flourished grandly, bloomed, and they set 
frnit profusely, but it all fell off when quite small. Both these Miner 
and Wild Goose orchards were planted in a solid mass, no other trees 
of the almond family being among or near them, except as hereafter 
noted. 

I have said the grafts set in Miner bore i^rofuselj", so did the trees in 
which they were grafted, i. e., of Miner Plums, as did the trees next ad- 
joining, and matured their fruit perfectly. These plum orchards were 
both a continuation of a large orchard of hardy cherries. The rows of 
both varieties of these plums next to the cherries have every year matured 
more or less plums, some seasons quite a crop. With these exceptions, no 
other trees in these orchards have ever brought one plum to maturity. 
These two orchards were some distance away and so were not observed 
very closely. In carrying on a general Nursery I gathered here many va- 
rieties of Native Plums, and j)ropagated them quite extensively for sale. 
Trees of the leading varieties on their own roots were planted isolated 
from other i)lums, so as to obtain suckers. The varieties so planted 
were Wild Goose, Miner, Forest Garden, DeSoto, Weaver (though not 
to be true to name), Langdon, Newman, and many others, none of 
which have as yet matured a plum except the Newman. About the 
same time, or sixteen to eighteen years ago, I planted the varieties 
named above, together with several others, thickly in rows, the rows 
four feet apart, with the several varieties intermingled or "all mixed up," 
but at some points in the rows all of one variety with no other quite 
near, and these trees have not failed of bearing and maturing a full crop 
each year during the last twelve years. Again soon after this 1 planted 



44 

in nursery rows for buddiuj^- 2,000 oiie-year-olil seedlings of the Ameri- 
cana type, from seed grown in Wisconsin. Tliese were planted in two 
blocks and were bndded over once with the varieties last named, and 
some others. The rows were four feet apart and the seedlings one foot 
(or less) apart in the rows. But a small percentage of the buds grew, 
(lie best of the resulting budded trees were sold, but more or less trees 
of all the varieties so budded were left among the seedlings and all grew 
up together and are yet, to-day, to be seew in the same condition. 

Of the trees planted not near other trees of the Almond famil}-, 
numbering some hundreds, not one of them ever matured a fruit during 
the sixteen years they have been old enough to produce^ nntil last 
season, when a few of the varieties ripened a very high crop of fruit, 
the jMiner being second only to the Newman in point of productiveneJ?s. 

The Newman as an exception to the other varieties has given a fair 
crop each season during the sixteen years, except one, when it failed 
entirely. Ten years ago I was ready to retire beaten, and give up the 
whole plum and j)lum tree business m disgust, in fact the whole Al- 
mond family, for the Plum Curculio seemed determined to destroy all the 
cherries also. , I had followed every hint and theory that I had ever 
heard of. 1 carefully examined the flowersof all the varieties, and found 
them, so far as I could see, perfect in all their parts. The first grafts of 
the Wild Goose in the Miner trees continued to bear each year, as did 
the trees in which they were grafted. The isolated trees, scattered 
over the plantation, were vigorous, healthy, and each year bloomed pro- 
fusely and set fruit freely, but it all fell oft" when quite small, except a 
very small proportion of that on the Wdd Goose; some of the fruit of 
this variety would attain half, two-thirds, or even full size, ripen pre- 
maturely and then fall off. But in all such instances there were other 
trees of the Almond family phinted not far away, and I can Safely say 
that during the twenty years or more that I have had this variety old 
enough to bear, the hundreds of trees of it in my orchards have not 
matured one fruit if completely isolated from other trees of thcxVlmond 
family. 

One day, when examining the fruit of this variety for Curculio young^ 
I was surprised not to find a live grub in them at all, and at that time 
could not find a fruit in which the larvne had ever fed. And I was 
still more surprised upon cutting through the shell to find that the seed 
had not developed and was imperfect. Tiiis fact led me to believe that 
the flowers of this variety were not perfect, that the pollen was not 
good. 

Some years ago I received from its disseminator, O. M.Lord, of Min- 
nesota City, Minn., scions (grafts) of a fine new hardy plum found in 
his neighborhood, named the " lloUing Stone." Five of these I grafted 
into a tree of Wild Goose, of bearing age by si)lice grafting on the ter- 
minal twigs of the main brandies. All five of these grafts grew ; one 
of them gave three clusters oC bloom the same spring it was grafted, 



45 

and inatiireil three plums. I was verj^ greatly surprised this same sea- 
son, in July, to find near this graft, and in the same tree, about twenty- 
five perfectly matured Wild Goose plums, all very close to the Rolling 
stone graft and none any distance from it, and the Wild Goose did not 
ripen prematurely or fall off before fully developed. The three plums 
matured by the graft ripening about a month later. 

Three of the Rolling Stone grafts grew finely the first summer after 
grafting, and the next spring bloomed profusely. The tree in which 
they were grafted grew at the south end of a row of the same variety 
(Wild Goose) about 30 rods long. This second season after the grafts 
were inserted the tree in which they were growing matured a full croj) 
of fruit ; the one next north 4 feet from it was full of fruit on its south 
side; the fruit was scattering. The next tree 10 feet north of the grafts 
matured three plums; not one other tree in the row out of perhaps a 
hundred matured a plum that season. 

The extreme cold of the following winter destroyed the Wild Goose 
below the grafts, and the following spring they did not bloom. Twenty'' 
feet east of this row of Wild Goose stood a row of cross-bred seetllings. 
The following summer (of 1885) this row of seedlings bloomed and 
fruited enormously, and the row of Wild Goose fruited very heavily on 
the east side of the trees, with scarcely a plum on the west side of the 
row. 

And to close the record of these two rows, I will add that during the 
spring of 1886 I made a record of the time of blooming of all the 
plum trees on the place, and of the force an<l direction of the wind 
during the time of blooming, and find, by referring to that record, 
that a gentle east wind prevailed for three days during the time when 
the row of native plums were in the height of bloom, and the row of 
Wild Goose matured an enoruious crop of very fine fruit, but with very 
much more fruit on the east than on the west side (the row of seedlings 
furnishing the pollen which was wafted to them by the east wind.) 

The first year that the Rolling Stone grafts bloomed gave me the long- 
hidden secret of the failure in productiveness of the native plums, 
which has proved itself to be that a great majority, or nearly all 
of them, are not fertile with their own pollen; or, in other words, 
from some not as yet fully explained cause or causes the pollen of, say, 
the Wild Goose or Miner will not pollenize the ovaries of their own 
flowers. Why it will not does not become material ; the fact remains, 
nevertheless. 

After a i^retty thorough investigation my conclusion as to the reason 
is, that the i^ollen matures and is flown away and wasted before the 
stigmas are mature enough to receive it; or, it may be true that the 
pollen of some varieties is impotent to their own stigmas, or possibly 
even poisonous to them. That this latter condition of facts may exist 
has been fully and satisfactorily proven by the most carefully conducted 
experiments by the great Darwin, and the results given in detail in his 



4G 

" Plants and Animals under Domestication," and the same theory has 
to some extent been handled in works by other eminent scientists. I 
found that the Rolling Stone variety would pollenize the Wild Goose and 
render it fruitful. I found that other varieties would do the same when 
twenty feet away, if the wind blew from the right direction when they 
were in bloom. I found that in every instance where 1 had trees of the 
Miner and Wild Goose near each other, both varieties were very pro- 
ductive, and also that when the Newnum and Wild Goose were near 
together neither was fully productive, and that where ^Miner and New- 
man were contiguous both were enormously and regularly productive. 

I also found that where I had Newman growing isolated from other 
varieties, that it was yearly productive of moderate crops of good fruit, 
but scarcely a seed from such trees would grow 5 but where the Newman 
and Miner were planted near together the Newman was not only enor- 
mously productive, but the fruit was larger, later, darker colored, and 
thicker skinned, and the seed all good, and the resulting seedlings 
strong and vigorous, the Miner being also very productive in this case. 

Further, I found that where I had nearly all the named varieties of 
both types of these plums growing together in the two blocks of seed- 
lings, that all of them (including the seedlings) were, with the excep- 
tion of the Wild Goose, very productive each year since old enough to 
bear. Trees of the Wild Goose were growing in both blocks of these 
seedlings, but none of them have ever fruited so heavily as those grow- 
ing near Miner, showing, I think, that the Miner is its best consort. The 
trees in these two blocks of seedlings are about one foot apart in the 
row, and the rows four feet apart, (xrowing in this way much in the 
same manner as the natural plum thickets of the earlier days of this 
country, they have all of them matured a full crop of plums each year 
for the past seven years, and the trees have remained more vigorous 
and healthy than isolated trees of the same varieties. The number of 
varieties in these two blocks may be safely estimated at 5,000, running 
through all grades of the northern wild plum, from the poorest to the 
very best. During the whole period in which these plums have been 
fruiting, nothing whatever has been done to protect the fruit from or 
to destroy the Plum Curculio, and this insect has been present in large 
numbers during the whole time. No hogs or other stock have been 
allowed to run among the trees, and, until the last three seasons, all the 
" wormy " fruit has rotted on the ground, undisturbed. 

The history of these plum trees tells my readers exactly how to fruit 
the native plums everywhere in abundance. Heretofore when writing 
on this subject I have qualified the above by saying how they will 
fruit here abundantly. But during the past two years 1 have cor- 
responded with the owners of or visited a great number of plum or- 
chards throughout nearly the whole country and find the same results 
everywhere, namely, wlierever these plums have been planted with 
several varities near together (or near trees of several other species of 



47 

the almoud family) they have been coQstautly productive, but wheo 
phinted with the varieties isolated tliey have proven barren, except in 
the South. 

While the Wild Goose will pollenize its own stigmas south of the Ohio 
Eiver, and will not north, may ssem a little strange. But this fact is 
easily explained. Here, or JSforth, fruit trees burst suddenly into bloom, 
and in three or four days the sexual orgaus of the flowers have matured, 
performed their functions, and lost their sexual force. South, the peach 
is often in continuous bloom for four months, the plum for two months, 
and therefore there is a continuous supply of ripe pollen and ripe (stig- 
matic) stigmas to receive it. Here the Wild Goose plum, for instance, 
opens its flowers one day, ripens and sheds most of its pollen the fore- 
noon of the next day (the pollen of the plum, which is .the male element 
of their sexuality, consists of very minute roundish, egg-like cells, very 
light and produced in great abundance, and may be carried by the wind 
for miles under favorable circumstances and their potency remain un- 
impaired), and not until the afternoon of this day do the stigmas take 
on the sexual heat and become ready to receive it. These and the other 
fully established facts, that to many varieties and species of plants their 
own pollen is neither acceptable nor fertile to their own flowers — stig- 
mas — and to the more common fact that in many plants a flower is 
not fertile with pollen of that flower, but fully fertile with pollen from 
another; why we have failed to get fruit from many varieties of Na- 
tive Plums when not growing near other Plum trees (or other trees of 
the Almond family), and why these same varieties are very productive 
when planted near others ; the reason for this seems to be that nat- 
ure abhors " in and in breeding," or, in other words, she has carefully 
guarded nearly all forms of life from unnatural unions or a too close 
consanguinity of offspring. 

But in our Almond family the diflferent species seem freely to fertil- 
ize each other sexually in many instances, and the resulting hybrids 
are, so far as observed, fully fertile with all. For, as before intimated, I 
have absolute and incontestable proof that the flowers of the Wild Goose 
and Miner plums are fertilized to a limited extent by the pollen of our 
cherries, which belong to a different genus of the same order. Also, 
the proof is absolute that the pollen of the peach freely fertilizes the 
flowers of the Chickasaw plums, at least some of them. The new early 
peaches, such as Hale's Early, Amsden's June, Alexander, «&c., are 
such hybrids nearest the peach in their generalities; and the Black- 
man, Golden Beauty, and other so-called plums are such hybrids more 
nearly resembling the plums. 

The plums of Europe freely fertilize our native plums, and vice versa. 
So far there is no proof that the sub genus, Padus, to which our wild 
cherries belong, is sexually fertile with other members of the sub order, 
but it is very probable that it is not. 

We have now, if we have read understandingly, learned how we may 



48 

FRUIT THE NATIVE PLUMS 

everywhere in abundauce. How ? Simply by plantings several va- 
rieties near together or commingled, or by grafting or bnddiug barren 
trees with one or more different varieties as above explained. Plant- 
ing the different varieties near together is most practical, and easily 
done by selecting such two (or more) varieties as will pollenize each 
other, and planting them alternately in rows 4 to G feet apart, the rows 
running in the direction of the prevailing winds at the blooming time 
of the plum. If we do not know what varieties will pollenize each other, 
we "will be safe if we plant several varieties in close proximity, so as to 
have the so-called species alternate in the rows. The rows may be 15 
to 30 feet apart. 

We now take up the 

PLUM cuRCULio (Conofrachclus nenuphar) 

understaudingiy. But why need I add one more word about it, for the 
jnoof is absolute here, audi have the same complete proof from nearly 
every State and Territory, that it has no eff'ect on the fruiting of the 
great majority of our native plums whatever. If their flowers are 
jiollenized they give regular crops of valuable fruit as any fruit in any 
climate, with no material damage to the fruit, except rarely to a few 
varieties, by this pest. In fact, I will here put it on record: I believe 
that after carefully investigating the subject throughout three seasons, 
that what effect this curculio has on these fruits tends to benefit the 
tree and fruit rather than injure,' for, where these plums are fully iiollen- 
ized their tendency is to overbear — to set more fruit than they can or 
should bring to maturity. The most material injury to this fruit by the 
curculio is that the cuts through the skin of the young fruit, made by 
her when laying her eggs, sometimes forms a nidus (breeding place) for 
*' fruit-rot." The varieties will be affected by this very differently in 
different locations and climates, but this rot does not, as is the case 
with some other fruits, so far as is known i^revent our securing full 
crojis of some varieties everywhere. (Curiously the evidence is that P. 
ehiclcasa is more subject to rot South than P. americatia, and vice versa. 
But my observations here prove that this "fruit rot" in the native 
plums more often finds a nidus or origin in the minute ])unctures of leaf 
lice {Aphididw) and i)Iant bug:* {Hemiptera). The most injurious of the 
bugs to the fruit of our native plums, and jierhaps the most injurious in- 
sect of Xorth America, is the now notorious tarnished i)lautbug (C«jwm« 
ohlineatus, Say.). This pernicious bug is abundant nearly everywhere, 
is an omnivorous feeder, and not only depletes trees and plants of their 
juices, but the i)uncture of its beak is very ])oisonous to them, causing 
many young fruits to drop soon after being punctured, on others leav- 
ing wounds for the entrance of the spores of the sporadic diseases or 
*'rots." Therefore it will not do to give the plum curculio credit as the 



49 

destroyer of all frait that falls before maturity ; and, further, it is a fact 
that the injury to the j'oung fruit by this curculio when laying her eggs 
does not cause such fruit to fall while small, but the contrary is true. 
Therefore, when we find all our young plums on the ground early In 
June, notice if every one of them shows the ovipositing mark of the 
Little Turk. She or her work was not the cause of their fall. But cut 
them open and yon will invariably find the seed embryo dead, or the 
lice or bngs before mentioned had caused their death. 

Then it remains to give a short summary of the facts gathered, show- 
ing the true status of the Plum Curculio in regard to fruit growing 
generally and the I^ative Pkims especially. 

The first and most important is that all evidence shows that this in- 
sect seeks the Xative Plums in preference to all other fruits in which to 
deposit her eggs. This is a queer, a strange fact in biology, which nat- 
uralists will be inclined to dispute, namely, that an insect should seek 
and nse, seemingly by preference, a fruit in which to lay her eggs 
wherein but very few of them will hatch and in which but few of such 
larviB as do hatch can be nourished on its substance to maturity. 

The reason why the Plum Curculio does seek the Native Plums to 
oviposit in seems to be because of their very early and very fragrant 
bloom. This beetle, unlike some others, is a ravenous feeder while in 
the imago or beetle state, and flies toward the nearest inviting food. 
With what result, now becomes the important question. I have shown 
that the depositing of the eggs of the Curculio in the young fruit does 
not cause it to fall before reaching maturity ; that it does not materially 
injure the fruit, for I have marketed a Miner plum on which were eight- 
et : of the ovipositing marks of this beetle, and yet it was a passable 
plum for use (eating or canning). But the facts are best given in figures 
and percentages. 

During the past two seasons I have gone over the great mass of native 
plums in bearing here twice during each season, or four times syste- 
matically, and very carefully, with practically the same results each 
time, and I will here give my results in figures. 

I found that for every egg tliat hatched and the larvtie had fed notice- 
ably, that there were from 1,500 to 1,900 ovipositing marks of the Cur- 
culio, and that only one living curculio maggot was found in 3,100 to 
3,500 i)lums examined and in which her eggs had been laid. These 
percentages are from the June observations of these two years and 
coincide with previous observations. In the two observations made 
during the latter part of July and first of August the percentages were 
not materially changed or different. Another study was made to find 
out how many larv;e that had hatched had fed to well advanced matu- 
rity as larvae. To get at this I selected the fruit of the Wild Goose and 
Newman, in which I had found more living larvte than in any other 
variety here (as yet I have not found any living larvae of considerable 
size in the Miner, but strangely I found more living, well fed, healthy 
22310— No. 11 4 



50 

looking larviTB in P. americana in the woods, to the number of plums 
stung tban I liave in any other x)lum, a not very careful surve}^ of this 
tree showed that about one in twenty-five of the eggs laid in the fruit 
has produced well-grown, healthy looking larv?e). I selected first 100 
l)lums of the Wild Goose variety, in which eggs had seemingly been 
laid. (I am well aware that in many species of insect life the females . 
will continue to form proper nidi for the reception of her eggs long 
after her supply of eggs has become completely exhausted; in fact, 
as a rule the ''grim messenger" finds her busily at work, with feeble 
effort, trying to lay eggs and reproduce her kind, and it is quite proba- 
ble that our "Little Turk" possesses this Instinct, which continues to 
its fatal termination. Therefore my percentages are not so correct as 
if I had been able in each instance to locate an Qgg, in situ within the 
ovipositing mark.) At least the ovipositing mark was apparent on 
each fruit. These were placed in a vessel, and taken out one at a 
time and cut under the ovipositing mark to ascertain if the larvte 
had fed. If it had not fed noticeably, it was thrown aside and another 
taken up, and so on until I had obtained a hundred plums in which 
the egg had hatched and the larvae had fed. Two trials of Wild Goose 
plums, in this way, gave respectively 22 and 23 living, sickly look- 
ing, attenuated larva3. Two trials of the same number of Newman gave 
respectively 24 and 26 of the same kind of grubs. Whether any one 
of these sickly looking larvae would have matured into beetles I do 
not know, but I have the best of reasons for believing that none of 
them would. And here are my reasons, and they are of the greatest 
value, if I have made no mistakes. The autumns of 18S4 and 1885 I 
gathered the fallen fruit from all the trees for seed, and of course in this 
way I got all the fruit with living larvib in them, and when selecting 
what good fruit there was for market, all wormy and imperfect fruit 
was thrown on the surface of the ground in the shade of trees, day by 
day as gathered, and on and convenient thereto were placed several 
contrivances, such as the young beetles are known to seek as soon as 
they emerge from the ground for shelter. These shelters were care- 
fully examined until cold weather without finding a single beetle. 

The next spring this seed was gathered up early and i^lanted. A good 
I)ortion of the ground it had occupied was at once covered with strong 
canvas, with its edges so covered and fastened down that it was im- 
l^robable that the beetles could escape from under it.* Now, if this 80 
bushels of jdums selected from the 2G4 bushels marketed on one season, 
and of course including practically all the wormy plums, bred no Gurcu- 
lios, and it takes 3,200 eggs to produce one well-matured larva, and if we 
give it all the Native Plums it may require in which t o lay all of its eggs, 

* This experiment was very poorly conducted and proves nothing. If the plums re- 
ferred to were wormy, it is safe to say that at least a portion of the larvre were in 
healthy condition an 1 went through their transformations under ground. We have 



51 

this is the pertinent question: Does it not seem conclusiv^ely to show 
that when this great western region, the timbered portion of it, was, we 
may say, one vast Plum thicket, that there were then jilnms enough to 
hold the Plum Curcnlio entirely in check? And, further, does it not 
also show conclusively that if we now i)lant asuflicientnumberof these 
plum trees to produce fruit for the beetles to feed on and lay all of 
their eggs in, and such eggs do not hatch, as we have seen, that they, 
the plums, will again reduce its numbers below the point of practical 
injury, and in this way protect all our other fruit from its depreda- 
tions? Again, do not our facts show, that if it is true that the Plum 
Curculio is attracted by these plums early in the season, and being 
there on the plums she will therefore lay her eggs in them exclusively, 
and that by planting these plums unstintedly among and around our 
Peaches, Apples, Cherries, and other fruits liable to injury by her, that 
we will protect these fruits from damage by this beetle? 

We have but one question of importance to answer, which is, Are the 
Native Plums a fruit worthy' of extended cultivation? I can answer 
this question emphatically, Yes, they are. They are one of the most cer- 
tain of the fruits in the regularity of their crop, and the yield is usually 
abundant, the fruit wholesome, attractive, and easily gathered, and can 
be shipped any reasonable distance to market. When thoroughly ripe 
it is delicious, eaten in a natural state — that is, some varieties of it j 
others are among the finest of fruits for ijreparing in the various ways 
known to the culinary art — stewing, cauning, drying, i3reserving in 
sugar, sweet pickling (spicing), &c. And many of the varieties of the 
Northern type will keep perfectly throughout the winter if simply placed 
in an open earthen jar and covered with water. They all make most 

had some experience witli the larvie of this iusect, but should scarcely venture to dis- 
criminate between sickly and healthy individuals as Mr. Wier has done. The pre- 
cautions taken to observe and count the beetles emerging from the ground were en- 
tirely insufficient for the purpose, as the tendency to secrete under traj)s is mani- 
fested chiefly in cool weather in spring. 

Moreover, Mr. Wier's statements that the planting and cultivating of the Wild Plum 
will protect our peaches, apricots, cultivated plums, «Sz;c., and effect a decrease in the 
numbers of the Curculio, are mere assumptions and contrary to experience. The fact 
that these cultivated fruits were badly infested by the Curculio as soon as they were 
introduced is a sufficient proof that the Curculio shows a decided preference for 
these plants. While we would not discredit the correctness of Mr. Wier's observa- 
tion that a large proportion of Curculio eggs laid in Wild Plums fail to hatch (be- 
cause they often thus fail in cultivated varieties and in cherries, pears, and apples), 
yet we do not believe this fact has much influence on the general decrease of the Cur- 
culio. The Wild Plums were the original food-plant of the insect and it has "ex- 
isted as a species " on this plant from time immemorial. The cultivation of peaches, 
apricots, cherries, «&c., simply furnished the means for it to increase, and only the com- 
plete abandonment of their cultivation would re-establish the original relative scar- 
city of the Curculio. The state of affairs would be quite different if Mr. Wier could 
show U8 how to pompel the insect to oviposit in the fruit of the Wild Plum, or could 
even prove by satisfactory scientific evidence the truth of his assertion that it has a 
preference for said wild fruit. — C. V. R. 



52 

beautiful and delicious jellies. Such are the principal uses of the fruit. 
The trees will thrive on any soil that will support common trees, but do 
best on a deep, rich, moist soil ; they thrive finel}' in the bottoms of deep, 
steep, narrow ravines and along drains, on lands too rough for cultivation, 
if reasonably rich. The trees are natural to crowded situations, crowded 
by each other, and by other trees ; their roots do best rambling through 
moist soil, shaded from the sun, and the trees do very much the best in 
a location sheltered from the strong winds of spring (which blow away 
the pollen). The trees are easily propagated ; they throw up young 
trees (suckers) freely from their roots; therefore when planting these 
plums on the thicket plan in waste places it is best to have them on 
their own roots. Or, if we do not wish them to produce suckers, they 
may be budded on the Chickasaw variety known as Mariana, which 
variety grows freely from cuttings, is quite hardy, and seldom, if ever, 
throws up suckers from its roots. In the South these plums do finely 
when budded or grafted on peach (which do not sucker), but care must 
be taken to prevent injury from the Peach Borer {^-Egeria exltlosa Say). 
Korth they do nicely if " root-grafted" on peach. Generally, as the reader 
will have learned from this paper, the Native Plums have no very nox- 
ious insect enemies or diseases here or over the country at large, and it 
is safe to say that they in some of their varieties or tribes can be grown 
profitably in every part of the country. There is a vast amount to be 
learned about them as yet, and some very important facts to determine. 
The most valuable one is this : I have some proof that certain varieties 
of these plums will breed the Plum Curculio freely ; if so, such varieties 
should be searched out and destroyed, and we should be sure not to 
plant these varieties for fruit, be that ever so fine. 



THE SERRELL AUTOMATIC SILK REEL. 

By Philip Walker. 

In previous reports the new Serrell automatic silk reel has been fre- 
quently mentioned, but owing to the incomplete condition of the pat- 
ents upon it, it has been considered unwise to publish even such a gen- 
eral description as that which follows. Now, however, that these ma- 
chines are in operation in Washington, it is possible to gratify the 
laudable curiosity of persons interested in this machinery, of which so 
much has been said but so little known in this country. 

An understanding of the mechanical principles of ordinary non-auto- 
matic reels and of the Serrell serigraph are so necessary to a thorough 
comprehension of the automatic reel that, although they have already 
been described by Professor Riley in Bulletin Xo. 9 of the Division.* 
it is deemed wise to insert an account of them here. The quotations 

* The Mulberry Silk-Worm, by C. V. Riley, M. A., Ph. D., W^asbiugton, 1886. 



which follow are from that pamphlet. A further word on some of the 
properties of the cocoou filament and the general process of reeling is 
also given in order to make the descriptions which follow more intelli- 
gible. 

Thesilk wormoccapies,ingeneral,aboatthircy daysiu passing throngh 
the period comprised between its birth and the fabrication of its cocoon. 
Most of this time is employed in eating, bat abont five days being con- 
sumed in passing through the molts. The food consumed during the 
last ten days is almost entirely' employed in the formation of a fluid 
which fills the silk ducts and which goes ultimately to the fabrication of 
the silken thread of the cocoon. 

In the body of the larvae there are two of these ducts, each of which 
is connected with an orifice called a spinneret, which is situated in the 
lower lip of the insect. The larva in the formation of its co coon throws 
out from these orifices two fine filaments covered with a natural glue. 
This glue serves to stick the two filaments together and to form them 
into what appears to the naked eye to be one compact thread. An ex- 
amination of this thread under the microscope, however, shows its 
double nature and its flattened section, whose width is three to four 
times its thickness. 

The first step taken by the worm, after it has found a con venient 
place to make its cocoon, is to throw out a system of threads designed 
to form a founda ion to the more compact pod. The tissue of this sys- 
tem is loose and is not apparently woven after any fixed plan. Once 
this foundation completed, the larva begins the constru ction of the 
stronger wall of its resting place, which is constructed of a firm felting 
laid on in figure-eight loops and in many distinct layers. Of these 
layers it is easy to recognize at least a dozen and to tear them apart 
but it is probable that in reality these might each be subdivided into 
many more but for the lack of instruments of sufficient delicacy. 

Taking the yellow Milanese races as a type, we find that it requires 
about 250 fresh cocoons to make a pound and that each contains about 
one thousand yards of thread. These cocoons, with the inclosed chrys- 
alides, contain, however, 66 per centum of water, which in the course of 
three or four months' drying will effectually evaporate. Of the total 
weight of these cpcoons, again, but about 15 per centum is formed of 
silk, the balance being composed of chrysalides and the skins cast by 
the larvfB in their transformation. Thus, were we to recover all of the 
silk contained in a lot of cocoons, it would not exceed 15 per centum of 
the total weight when fresh, or 33 per centum of the weight when dry. 
It is not, however, possible to accomplish such a result, both on account 
of the loss caused in getting hold of the end of the thread and from the 
fact that it is impossible to finish the reeling of a cocoon to its very end. 
Manufacturers rarely obtain more than one pound of silk for each three 
and one-half pounds of dry cocoons employed, and it is not uncommon 



54 

for them to consume at least four pounds of raw material iu the forma- 
tion of each pound of their product. 

Before reeling the cocoons must be cleaned by the removal of the 
outer system of threads which, under the name of floss, is one of the 
"waste products of the industry. 

In the filature the "cocoons are first plunged into boiling water, 
whereby their gluten is softened in such a manner as to render the un- 
wihding of the filaments an easy matter. This done, they are brushed 
■with a small broom, to the straws of which their fibers become attached. 
The bundle of filaments is then taken and they are unwound until each 
cocoon hangs by but one clean thread. These three operations are 
called 'cooking,' 'brushing,', and 'purging.' The first two can be ac- 
complished mechanically, and are currently so performed in Italy and 
largely iu France. But purging is a process to which the accuracy of 
the human eye and the delicacy of the human touch have so far been 
found necessary." The thread unwound iu these processes is also a 
waste product, called "frisons," and has about one-fifth the value of 
reeled silk. In good working about four times as much silk as frisons 
is produced. 



E 

P' 



c 



M 



y\ 



<y' 


\ 


T) 


\ 




\ B 




S> 





i'lLJ. 1. — Eloiuents of the mechanism of a modern silk reel. 

"The elements of the mechanism of all modern silk reels are essentially 
the same. They are shown in Fig. 1, and consist, in general, of a basin, 
A, in which is a perforated steam-pipe, P, by means of which the water 
in the basin may be heated. A few inches above the surface of the 
water is placed a perforated agate, B. The cocoons having undergone 
the three oi)erations mentioned, the ends of the filaments of four or more 
of them are twisted together into a thread, which is passed through the 
hole in the agate. From this it runs through the "croisure" j\[, which 
will be hereafter explained, and over the guide E to the reel at F. Be- 
tween E and F the thread passes a guide, Gr, moving to and fro (in a 
line perpendicular to the plane ot the paper), which distributes it iu a 



i 



55 

broad band over the surface of the reel. This facilitates the drying of 
the silk, without which the gluten would bind together the threads of 
the skein as it does those of the cocoons, and thus ruin its commercial 
value. The shaft of the reel carries at one end a friction-wheel, R^ 
which rests on the large friction- wheel I, that constantly revolves on the 
shaft iST, and thus motion is imparted to the reel. In order to stop the 
reel it is only necessary to raise the wheel H from its bearings by means 
of the lever L. This movement presses the wheel against the brake- 
shoe K, and its motion is at once arrested. 

" As has been said above, the thread is passed between the agate and 
the reel through the croisure. The making of the croisure consists in 
twisting the thread around itself or another thread so as to consolidate 
its constituent filaments and wring the water from it and thus aid in its 
drying. The mode of the formation of this croisure forms the principal 
distinguishing mark between the French and Italian systems of reeling. 
The former is called the ' Charabon system.' Each reeler manages two 
threads. These are passed through separate agates, and after being- 
brought together and twisted twenty or thirty times around each other 
iire again separated and passed through guiding eyes to the reel. The 
other sj'stem, called 'tavellette,'* consists in passing the thread up 
over a small ijulley, 0, down over another, D, and then twisting it around 
itself, as shown at il/, in Fig. 1, and thence to the reel. 

" The cocoon filament is somewhat finer in the floss or beginning, thick- 
ens at the i)oint of forming the more compact pod, and then very gradu- 
ally diminishes in diameter until it becomes so fine as to be incapable 
of standing the strain of reeling," the mean sections at these points be- 
ing about proportional to the figures 30, 40, and 25. "Therefore a thread 
which is made up of five new filaments becomes so small when the co- 
coons from which it is drawn are half unwound as to require an addi- 
tion. This addition might also be made necessary by the rupture of 
one of the constituent filaments. It is here that the skill of the oper- 
ator is called into play. When her experience tells her that the thread 
needs nourishing from either of these causes, she takes the end of the 
filament of one of the cocoons which lie prepared in her basin, and, giv- 
ing it a slight snap or whip-lash movement with the index-finger, causes 
it to wind around or adhere to the running thread, of which it from this 
moment becomes a constituent part. This lancing, as it is called, of the 
end of the filament, although in hand reeling performed in the manner 
described, is also accomplished mechanically, several devices having 
been invented for this purpose. They consist, in general, of a mechan- 
ism (occupying the place of the agate jB), which causes a small hook 
to revolve in a horizontal plane about the running thread, and to twist 
around it any end of the filament that may be placed in the path of the 
hook. The reeler, seeing that a new filament is needed, holds the end of 
one in the way of the attaching device, and it is automatically caught." 

*Tlie trade name oflhe small pulley ineutioned. 



56 



The thread of "raw" or reeled silk is excessively strong, ductile, and 
elastic. As has been seen, it is composed of several double filaments, 
drawn from as many cocoons. In common with other elastic threads, 
a given length of one of silk will resist a tendency to stretch to an ex- 
tent proportionate to its mean section. This is the underlying princi- 
ple of the serigraph. The mode of determining the irregularities exist- 
ing in a thread of raw silk by means of this machine is as follows : The 
end of the thread is brought from the reel or bobbin on which it is wound 

o 




D 



Fig. 2. — Tlio principle of the serigraph. 



W 



around a drum, aS, (Plate I), thence over a pulley, i^, and back around 
another drum, T, mounted on the same axis as 8. From the drum Tit 
is wound on a reel. The drum T is larger than 8^ so that the former 
winds on the thread somewhat faster than it is paid off by the latter, 
and thus stretches it. In this manner we apply a constant force to the 
pulley J?, tending to draw it from its normal position. This pulley is 
attached to the base of a pendulum, CT, which, under the action of the 
force mentioned, is drawn from the perpendicular. The weight of this 
pendulum overcoming the force thus applied to an extent inversely pro- 
portional to the mean section of the length of thread submitted to the 
test, the position of equilibrium taken by the pendulum depends upon 
and is an indication of that mean section. The portion thus tested is 
that between the two drums 8 and T, and as, through the constant 
action of the machine, successive lengths of thread occupy the position 
indicated, the pendulum oscillates through a course which depends upon 
the irregularities of the thread. These irregularities are graphically 
recorded by a pencil, attached to the pendulum, upon a band of paper, 
which moves constantly under its i)oint. 

The serigraph, it will be seen, is an apparatus for continuously meas- 
uring the relative size of any thread passed over its drums and record- 
ing the irregularities in its size on a band of j^aper. 

From this machine to the automatic reeler was but a slight transition, 
easily accomplished. It has been in working out the details of the de- 
sired mechanism that the greatest difficulty has been met with. The 
result is attained in general by causing the pendulum U to close an 



Bulletin 14, Division of Entomology Dept. Agr. 



Plate I. 




57 

electric circuit wheuever the thread becomes so weak as to permit of a 
certain amount of stretching under the tension applied to it. The 
electric current due to this circuit-closing is then employed in releasing 
the detent of a suitable feeding device, by which a new cocoon filament 
is added to the main thread and its size augmented. 

In the operation of the automatic silk-reel the thread is made as in an 
ordinary hand-reel, and passed through the centreof a filament-attaching 
device, B, thence through the croisure M. Thence, as in the serigraph, it 
is passed around a small drum, S, around a pulley, B, situated at the end 
of a pendulum, U, which is called in the reeler the control-lever, thence 
around the larger drum T, and in the ordinary way over the guiding 
pulley Ey to the reel. On the end of the control lever ?7 is a circuit- 
closing contact piece, a, which acts when the pulley B, overcoming the 
resistance of the thread, recedes from the drums S and T. The tension 
thus resisted by the thread may be regulated by the movable weight X, 
or an equivalent device. 

We will now suppose the thread to be running at the desired size, and 
that the tension due to the stretch imparted to it by the difference in 
the circumferential speed of the two drums is sufficient to keep open the 
circuit- closing device of the control lever. It continues in this condi- 
tion until, through the diminution in the size of the constituent filaments, 
or the rupture of one of them, the thread falls below the standard, and 
the addition of a new cocoon becomes necessary. Then the pendulum 
falls back, and the contact at a is closed. 

Just above the water of the basin, with its edge dipping beneath the 
surface, is a cocoon-holding device, 0. This apparatus, usually called 
the magazine, rests on a support which is mounted on a shaft around 
whose axis the magazine may be rotated. The magazine consists of a 
number of compartments, c, situated around the circumference of a lower 
disk and a number of small pins, d, mounted on a parallel disk a short 
distance above the lower one. In each compartment is placed a cocoon 
previously prepared for reeling, while its filament is conducted upwards 
and wound around one of the pins <Z. A magazine thus filled is set 
upon its support in readiness to furnish cocoons to the running thread 
as desired. Its position is such that the hook of the filament-attaching 
device passes just below the disk holding the pins d, and in such a way 
that a thread passing from its cocoon to the pin, which for the moment 
is opposite the attaching device, will fall in the path of the hook and be 
caught by it in its revolution. 

The shaft on which the magazine turns is connected with a suitable 
feed movement, W, which consists in general of a cam to which a rotary 
motion may be given by a i)roper connection with the shafting of the 
filature, of a lever to which the cam imparts a to-and-fro motion, and 
of a magnet to whose armature is attached a detent which, when no 
current is passing, prevents the rotation of the cam. 
Now, as we have seen above, no current passes through the electric 



58 

circuit while the thread is at its standard size ; for under such condi- 
tions the lever is so held by the thread that the contact at a is kept 
open. As soon, however, as the thread diminishes iu size the lever 
recedes, the contact at a is closed, and the current passing through the 
magnet of the feed movement W causes the attraction of its armature 
and the release of the detent holding the cam in place. Upon this occur- 
ring the magazine is advanced one step and brings a new cocoon fila- 
ment into the path of the hook on the filament attaching device, which 
catching it up twists it arouud the running thread and, with the help 
of its natural gum, attaches it firmly thereto, at the same time cutting 
off the loose end. The rotation of the cam is so timed that its detent 
will not arrive at the stop on the armature until the new filament has 
reached the controlling drums and had its effect upon the position of 
the control lever. In the reeling of fine sizes the addition of one fila- 
ment will generally be found sufficient to bring the thread to its normal 
size, though it is less apt to be so with larger sizes. In any case, how- 
ever, if, when the rotation of the cam is completed, the electric circuit 
still remains closed the action of the feed movement is repeated and con- 
tinued until the thread is again brought to the normal size. 

Owing to the irregularities iu a thread of raw silk it is impossible to 
obtain any measure of its size by means of a caliper or even, with any 
degree of ease, by a microscopical examination. Merchants are there- 
fore obliged to content themselves by approximating its size in the fol- 
lowing manner: They measure off upon a suitable real a skein of a 
given length (476 meters) and obtain its weight in the terms of an arbi- 
trary unit called the denier. If such a sample skein, for instance, is 
found to weigh ten deniers it is called a '' ten-denier silk." Now it is 
found that the exterior thread of a cocoon of the yellow Milanese races 
has a value of about two and a half deniers, so that it takes four such 
new cocoons to make a thread of ten deniers. When these cocoons are 
half unwound the size of the thread formed from them would be but about 
eight deniers. Now, in order to augment the thread and bring it to the 
normal size we are obliged to add another cocoon which, with its new 
thread, would increase the combined thread to ten and one-half deniers, 
and it will be seen that from cocoons of this race it is impossible to 
augment the thread by smaller increments than that mentioned. For 
this reason no attempt is made to produce an absolutely regular thread 
of silk, but rtelers are content if the variation from the desired mean 
does not exceed two deniers in each direction. In hand-reeling, where 
the regularity of the thread depends entirely upon the ability of the 
reeler to estimate its present size and to add a new filament at the 
proper time, only the most expert operatives are able to make silk with- 
in the limits named. In the automatic reel, however, all this is taken 
out of the hands of the operative and the indication of the need of a new 
thread is made by the delicate serigraphic measuring device of the con- 
trol movement. Its delicacy is such that when working under good 



59 

conditions it will sometimes run off an almost theoretically perfect 
thread. A great advantage exists in this fact, as the beauty of a piece 
of woven goods depends very largely on the regularity of the raw silk 
entering into its composition. 

In addition to the devices mentioned above, the automatic reel con- 
tains an electrical stop movement by which the motion of the reel is 
arrested upon the rupture of the running thread. It consists of a small 
faller on the end of which is mounted the guide-ijulley at E, When the 
thread is running the ijulley is drawn in the direction of the reel and an 
electrical contact, 6, placed on the fiiller, is kept open. Upon the rupture 
of a thread, however, this contact is closed and a suitable mechanical de- 
vice at T is set in operation by an electro-magnet. The releasing of the 
lever of this apparatus enables the spring on the bell crank L to act on 
the shaft of the reel and draw its friction drum away from its bearing 
on the large drum J, and thus stop its motion so quickly that the end of 
the broken thread will rarely be drawn into the skein. When this ap- 
paratus works promptly and well there results a very considerable 
saving of time in the knotting of the thread, and less waste is produced 
thereby. 



INDEX, 



Aletia argillacea, 11. 
Allograpta obliqiia, 14. 
Allorliinanitida, 16. 
Allotria avena?, 13. 

brassiciu, 14. 
lacbni, 13. 
uiegouife, 19. 
. tritici, 13. 
Anasa tristis, 2'2. 
Uhleri. 23. 
Angouraois motli, 16. 

Authoniyia mistaken for Buflalo Gnats, 29. 
Apauteles cougregatus, 11. 
Aphis biassicffi, 12. 
citrulli, 27. 
cucumeris, 27. 
cucuibitse, 27. 
Ashmead, "Wm. H., Report on insects injurious to 

garden crops in Florida, 9. 
Automatic sills: reel, Serrel's, 52. 
Bean, insects affecting, in Florida, 21. 
Bean Cut Worm, 21. 
Distribution, 21. 
Earlier states, 22. 
Injuries, 22. 
Bisulphide of carbon for squash borer, 25. 
Botis repetitalis, 15. 
Botiytis Kileyi, 11. 
Buffalo Gnats, 29. 

Amount of injury in various years, 31. 
Breaks in the levees the cause of their abun- 
dance, 36. 
Distribution, 32. 
Finding of the larvae, 30. 
Habits of imago, 34. 
History of the injury, 31. 
Xature of their bite, 34. 
Nature of their breeding places, 32. 
Not injurious before the war, 31, 36. 
Not injurious below the mouth of Red River, 

38. 
Pupa and pupation, 33. 
Repoit on, by F. M. Webster, 29. 
Restoration of the levees probably the true 

remedy, 39. 
Swarms of Anthomyia mistaken for, 29. 
Topography of the infested country, 36. 
Various direct remedies, 34. 
Vitality of the larva, 35. 
Cabbage Aphis, 12. 

Bucktou's description, 12. 
Enemies and parasites, 13. 
Food-plants, 12. 
Injuries, 13. 

Introduced from Europe, 12. 
Life-history, 12. 
Cabbage Aphis Allotria, 14. 
Encyrtid, 14. 
Pachyneuron, 14. 
Syrphus Fly, 14. 
Cabbage, insects injurious to, in Florida, 9. 
Mamestra, .15. 
Pionea, 15. 
Plusia, 10. 

Distribution, 10. 
Enemies and parasites, 11. 
Food-plants, 10. 
Injuries, 10. 
Life-history, 10. 
Remedies, 11. 
Plutella, 11, 12. 



Calandra granaria, 16. 
Caibolic powder for Cabbage Plusia, 11. 
Cauliflower Botis, 15. 
Ceramica picta, 15. 
Ceraphron sp., 13. 
Chalcis ovata, 24. 
Conotrachelus nenuphar, 39, 48. 
Copidosoma truncatellum, 11. 
Corn, insects injurious to, in Florida, io. 
Bill-bug, 16. 
Mining Fly, 16. 
Worm, 15. 
Enemies, 16. 
Injuries, 15. 
-stalk Borer, 16. 
AVeevil, 16. 
Coruna sp., 13. 
Cotton Worm, 11. 
Crepidodera cucumeris, 22. 
Cucumber Flea-beetle, 22. 

Curculio-proof nature of the native plum trees, 39. 
C.ynipids parasitic on Aphids, 13. 
Diabrotica 12-punctata, 22. 
Diastata sp., 10. 
Diatrrea saccharalis, 16. 
Egg Plant Aphi.s, 20. 
Distribution, 20. 
Injuries, 21. 

Middleton's description, 20. 
Parasites, 21. 
Egg Plant, insects affecting, in Florida, 20. 
Encyrtus anasie, 23. 

aphidiphagus, 14 
? megourfe, 19. 
sublestus, 14. 
Entedon diastatffl, 16. 
Eucoila aiphonophor;e, 21. 
Eudioptis hyaliuata, 26. 

nitidalis, 24. 
Eudamus proteus, 22. 
Eupelmus reduvii, 24. 
Euschistus servus, 16. 
False Chinch, 22. 

Florida, insects injurious to garden crops in, 9. 
Gaslime for Squash-vine Borer, 25, 
Gelechia cerealella, 16. 
Gortyna nitela, 18. 
Insects affecting the Bean, 21. 
Cabbage, 9. 
Corn, 15. 
Egg-plant, 20. 
Melon, 26. 
Squash, 22. 
Tea, 21. 
Tomato, 16. 
Halticus bractatus, 22. 
Harlequin Cabbage Bug, 15. 
Heliothis armigera, 15. 
Hemerobius sp., 19. 
Hot water for Cabbage Plusia, 11. 
Introduction, 7. 
Julus multistriatus, 15. 
Kerosene for Squash-vine Borer, 25. 

emulsion for Cabbage Plusia, 11. 
Large Cabbage Buttertiy, 15. 
Letter of transmittal, 6. 
Lime for Cabbage Plusia, 11. 
Limneriaobscura, 11, 12. 
Mamestra cheuopodii, 15. 
Mascicera sp., 17. 
Megoura solani, 18. 

(61) 



62 



Mplittia ceto, 24. 
Melon Boier, 26. 

Descriptive, 26. 

Distribution, 26. 

Injuries, 27. 

Parasites, 27. 
Melon I'lant-louse. 27. 

Distribution, 27. 

Enemies and parasites, 28. 

Food-plants, 27. 

Injuries, 28. 

Natural history, 28. 

Keniedies, 28, 

Synonymy, 27. 
Murgantia liistrionica, 15. 
Nola sorgbiella, 16. 
(Ebalus i)Uj;uax, 16. 
Ortalissp., 16. 
Oscinis sp., 22. 
Pachyneuron allograptre, 15. 
apbidivora, 14. 
Poa, insects injurious to, in Florida, 21. 
Phylloptera oblongifolia, 22. 
Pieris monusto, 15. 
])rotodice, 15. 
Pimpla conqnisitor, 27. 
J'ionea rimosalis, 15. 
Plum Curculio, 44, 48. 

It prefers the native Plum for oviposition, 49. 

LarviC not developiu jj in the native Plum, 44, 49. 
Plum trees, foreign and native, 39. 

Curculio larva; uot developing in the native 
species, 44, 49. 

Failure of European varieties in North 
America, 39. 

Fertilization of native species by other varie- 
ties and species, 45. 

Native species and their failure to fruit, 40. 

Wild Goose Plum in the South, 47. 
Plusia brassica-, 10. 
Plutella cruciforarum, 12. 
Prionidus cristatus, 16. 
Pyrethrum for Cabbage Plusia, 11. 
Keduvius Egj: Eupelmid, 24. 
Kiley, C. V., criticism of Mr. "Wier's report, 7, 50. 

introduction to the Bulletin, 4. 

Letter of transmittal, 3. 
Saltpeter for squash borer, 25. 
Scymnus cervicalis, 15. 
Seirel's automatic silk reel, 8, 52, 56. 

serigraph, 52, 56. 
Silk reel, elements (if mechanism, 54. 
Serrel's automatic, 8, 52, 56. 
Silkworm cocoon, how it is spun by the worm, 53. 

preparation for reeling, 54. 
Siphonophora cucurbitc'B, 20. 
Southern Cabbage Butterfly, 15. 
Sphenophorus robustus, 16, 
Sphinx Carolina, 17. 

Egg Teleas, 18. 
5-maculata, 17. 



Squash, insect.s injurious to, in Florida, 22. 
Borer, 24. 

Distribution, 24. 
Food-plants, 24. 
Injuiies, 24. 
Parasites, 24. 
Kemedy, 24. 
Bug, 22. 

Distribution. 22. 
Egg Encyrtid, 23. 

Telenomus, 23. 
Enemies and j)arasite8, 23. 
Food-plants, 23. 
Injuries, 23. 
LiVe-history, 23. 
Vine Borer, 24. 

Distribution, 24. 
Food-plants, 24. 
Life-hiatory, 24. 
Parasites, 25. 
Eeuiedies, 25. 
Syrphus Fly Pachyneuron, 15. 
Teleas sphingis, 18. 
Telenomus anasa', 23. 
Telesilla cinereola, 21. 

Tomato, insects injurious to, in Florida, 16, 
Aphis, 18. 

AUotria, 19. 

Distribution, 18. 

Encyrtid, 19. 

Enemies and parasites, 19. 

Injuries, 19. 

Life-history, 18. 

Itemedies, 19. 

Thomas' description, 18. 
Stalk Borer, 18. 
■Worm, 17. 

Distribution, 17. 

Enemies and parasites, 17. 

Food-plants, 17. 

Injuries, 17. 

Life-historv, 17. 

Kemedy, 18. 
Trichogramma pretiosa, 11, 15, 17. 
Tridactylus minutus, 15. 
Trionyx piceus, 13. 

rapiB, 13. 
Triphleps in.sidiosna, 22. 
Twelve-spotted Diabrotica, 22. 
"Walker, Ph., description of the Serrel automatic 
silk reel, 52. 

"Webster, F. M., Report on Buffalo Gnats, 29. 

"Wheel bug, 16. 

"Wier, D. B., Report on the Curculio-proof nature 

of the native Plums, 39. 
Zebra Cabbage "Worm, 15. 



U.S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, 
divisiox of entomology. 

Bulletin Xo. 22. 



'^'P'^/^s REPORTS 



OBSERVATIONS AND EXPERIMENTS 



THE PRACTICAL WORK OF THE DIVISION, 



Ux\DER THE DIRECTION OF THE ENTOMOLOGIST. 



.PUBLISHED BY THE AUTHORITY OF THE SECRETARY OF AGRICULTURE.) 



WASH I XGTOX: 

(; (J \' E K X M E N T PRINTING (J F F I C E . 
I S 9 O . 



U.S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 

divisiox of entomology. 

Bulletin No. 22. 



R EPORTS 



OBSERVATIONS AND EXPERIMENTS 



THE PRACTICAL WORK OF THE DIVISION, 



UNDER THE DIRECTION OF THE ENTOMOLOGIST. 



(PUBLISHED BV THE ACTHORITY OF THE SECRETARY OF AGRICULTURE.) 



WASH IXGTON: 

GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE. 
1890. 



"V^ 



^ 



^'^' h^' 



u 



^ 

^ 

^ 



CONTENTS. 



Introduction 7 

Report ox various Methods for destroying the Red Scale of Cali- 
fornia D. W. Coquillett.. 9 

Report on Insects of the Season in Iowa Herbert Osiorn.. 18 

Report on Observations upon Insects affecting Grains. i?'. M. TVelsier.. 42 
Entomological Notes from Missouri for the Season 18rt9, Mary E. Murt- 

fddt 73 

Report on California Insects ^ Albert Eoebele. . 85 

Report on Nebraska Insects Lawrence Bruner . . 95 

3 



LETTER OF SUBMITTAL. 



Department of Agriculture, 

Division of Entomology, 
Washington, 1>. C, January — , 1890. 
Sir : I have the honor to submit for publication Bulletin No. 22 of 
this Division. Owiu^ to the necessities of the case I was able to include 
in the annual report only a general summary of the work of the field 
agents of the Division, reserving their full reports on the work of the 
year for subsequent publication. They are, therefore, here presented. 
Respectfully, 

C. V. Riley, 
Entomologist. 
Hon. J. M. Rusk, 

Secretary of Agriculture. 

5 



INTRODUCTION?. 



This bulletin comprises the reports of the field agents of the Division 
of Eutomology which were necessarily omitted from the annual report? 
in which it has been our previous custom to publish some or all of 
them. 

Mr. Coquillett has reported upon several phases of his work, and we 
print here only the portion relating to the experiments which he made 
in the destruction of the Eed Scale of California [Asjndiotus [Aonidia] 
aiirantii Maskell) by the use of washes. A portion of his report re- 
lating to experiments with gas treatment for this scale insect, resulting 
in the great cheapening of the use of this process, has been printed in 
the double number of Insect Life for January and February, 1890. 
Another section of his report relating to the attempted colonization of 
the insects preying upoa Icerya xmrcliasi, imported by Mr. Koebele from 
Australia, has also been published in part in Insect Life for October, 
1889, and the remainder is reserved for future use. The experiments 
with washes were undertaken with a view of presenting a practical 
illustration of their utility to the fruit-growers of southern California 
who had apparently ignored the previous results obtained and pub- 
lished in our reports for 1886 and 1887. These late experiments were 
performed by instruction of Assistant Secretary Willits, and the Red 
Scale was particularly chosen on account of its importance as a pest, 
and for the further reason that the Fluted Scale seems at present to re- 
quire no further experimentation, since the Vedalia is overcoming it so 
rapidly. 

Professor Osborn, in obedience to instructions, has taken up the 
study of insects injurious to grasses in addition to his regular work 
upon the insect parasites of domestic animals, and reports at this time 
upon the leaf-hoppers injuring forage plants. This is a comparatively 
new and important field of investigation. 

Professor \yebster continues his studies of grain insects and reports 
here upon certain points connected with the economy of a few well- 
known pests. 

Miss Murtfeldt sends in a general report upon the insects of the sea- 
sou in eastern Missouri, brings out a number of interesting facts, and 
gives the life history of a beetle injuring Spinach and also the histories 
of two interesting Saw-flies. 



8 

Mr. Koebele returned from Australia in March and came on to Wash- 
ington for special work, returning to Alameda, Cal., April 15. He 
spent considerable time in writing out his report on his Australian 
work (published in Bulletin No. 21 of this Division) and in assisting to 
rear and distribute the Vedalia. 

During the latter part of the season he did considerable field work 
and reports upon a number of injurious species. Perhaps the most in- 
teresting feature in his report is his work upon the enemies of the Cod- 
ling Moth in California. He has reared four entirely new parasites of 
this species, two of which are j)rimary and two secondary. The egg 
parasite seems to be a very important feature in the life of the Codling- 
Moth on the Pacific coast, and we know from previous experience with 
egg-parasites of the same genus that they are capable of very rapid 
development and are consequently very beneficial insects where they 
attack injurious species. We need only refer to the case mentioned in 
the Fourth Keport of the U. S. Entomological Commission, where 
by the work of Trichogramma livetiosa Riley, the fifth brood of Cotton 
Worm was almost completely annihilated in Florida, where at the be- 
ginning of the fourth brood less than one-half of the eggs had been de- 
stroyed. By almost complete annihilation we mean that less than 10 
per cent, of the Cotton Worm eggs throughout a large section remained 
unstung. 

Professor Bruner treats of the insects of the year and enters upon 
the consideration of insects detrimental to the growth of young trees on 
tree claims in Nebraska and other portions of the West, an important 
subject which has not before received treatment. 

C. V. R. 



REPORT OX VARIOUS METHODS FOR DESTROYING THE 
RED SCALE OF CALIFORNIA. 



By D. W. CoQUiLLETT, Special Agent. 



LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL. 



Los Angeles, Cal., October 30, 1889. 

Sir : I herewith submit my auuual report on some of the results obtained by me 
during the past year. 

During the first half of the year nearly ray whole time was occupied in propagat- 
ing and distributing the Lady-birds (VedaUa eardinalis Mulsant) recently imported 
from Australia by this Division. So thoroughly have these insects destroyed the 
Fluted or Cottony-cushion Scale {Icerya purcliasi Maskell) that at the present time it 
is difficult to find a living specimen in any portion of the southern part of this State. 
From the 129 Lady-birds received from the 30th of November to the 24th of January 
and colonized under a tent covering an orange tree in this city, by the following mid- 
summer I had, with the help of Mr. J. W. Wolfskill and Mr. Alexander Craw, dis- 
tributed nearly 15,000 of these insects to various parts of the State, which will give 
some idea of the great fecundity of these insects. My first attempt at colonizing 
them on trees in the open air was made in the 35-acre orange grove belonging to Col. 
J. R. Dobbins, aud located in the San Gabriel Valley in this county. I colonized 3.5 
of the Lady-birds on one of the trees February 22 and about 100 more on the 20th of 
March, and Colonel Dobbins writes me that they had practically freed his grove of 
the Iceryas by the 3l8t of July. 

The large Chapman orange-grove, also located in the San Gabriel Valley, and com- 
prising 150 acres of citrus trees, has likewise been practically cleared of the Iceryas 
by these Lady-birds, the first colony of which I placed in this grove on the 20th of 
March. As might naturally be expected, this freeing of the orange-groves from one 
of the greatest pests with which they were ever infested removes a great burden 
from the shoulders of our orange-growers ; or, as one of them, Mr. A. Scott Chapman, 
writes to me: " They have taken more than an oppressive burden off of the orange- 
growers' hands, and I, for one, very much thank the Division of Entomology for the 
VedaUa eardinalis — the insect that has worked a miracle." 

One of the most important results obtained bj' me the past season has been the dis- 
covery of a method whereby trees could be treated with hydrocyanic acid gas at a 
price scarcely exceeding one-third of what it has heretofore cost by the old method. 
As the great expense attending the use of this gas has been the one great objection 
to its being universally employed for the destruction of scale-iusects infesting trees, 
this objection having been now overcome we may naturally expect to see this 
method coming into more extended use than has been the case heretofore. As I have 

9 



10 

given a full accoimtof this new discovery in the report which follows, it will be need- 
less to more thau call your attention to it in this place. * 
As heretofore, I am indebted to yourself for suggestions and other help. 
Respectfully, yours, 

D. W. COQUILLETT. 

Prof. C. V. Riley, 
U. S. Entomologisf . 



RESIN SOAPS AND COMPOUNDS FOR THE DESTRUCTION OF THE RED 

SCALE. 

Early in July of the present year I received a letter from Mr. L. O. 
Howard, acting entomologist during the absence of Professor Riley, 
instructing me to obtain permission from somej^erson owning a number 
of large-sized orange trees which were thickly infested with the Red 
Scale {Aspidiotiis aurantii Maskell), and then have the trees sprayed 
with one of the most 'approved resin sprays obtainable, the spraying 
to be repeated as often as would be found necessary in order to prac- 
tically free the trees of these pests, or at least to prevent them from 
becoming so numerous as to interfere with the healthy growth of the 
trees, the object sought for being to demonstrate that citrus trees badly 
infested with these pests can be cleaned and kept in a healthy, grow- 
ing condition by tlie use of the resin spray. 

Before entering upon this work I concluded to make a series of pre- 
liminary tests with various preparations, containing resin and other in- 
gredients in varying proportions, with a view of ascertaining the best 
and most desirable preparation to use in my field work referred to 
above. Accordingly I went down to Orange, in the adjoining county, 
which bears the same name, and, on the 17th, 18th, and 19th of July, 
made fourteen tests with various preparations, repeating one of these 
and making several additional tests on the 7th and 8th of the following 
month. The one giving the best results was used a trifle too strong, 
as I subsequently ascertained that it produced a discoloration on the 
underside of some of the oranges, or where they came in contact with 
each other or with a leaf or branch. For this reason a slightly weaker 
solution would produce better results, and doubtless the following pro- 
portions will be found the most efiectual to use during the hotter part 
of the year : 

Resin , pounds.. 18 

Caustic soda (70 per cent, strength) do 5 

•Fish oil pints.. 2^ 

Water lo make gallons . . 100 

The necessary ingredients are placed in the boiler and a sufficient 
quantity of cold water added to cover them ; they are then boiled until 
dissolved, being occasionally stirred in the mean time, and after the 

* This portion of Mr. Coquillett's report has been published in advance in Insect 
Life, Vol. II, double No. 6 and 7 (January and February 1890).— c. v. R. 



11 

materials are dissolved the boiling should be coutiuued for about an 
hour, aud a cousiderable degree of heat should be employed so as tO' 
keep the preparation in a brisk state of ebullition, cold water being 
added in small quantities whenever there are indications of the prepa- 
ration boiling over ; too much cold water, however, should not be added 
at one time, or the boiling process will be arrested and thereby delayed, 
but by a little practice the operator will learn how much water to add 
so as to keep the preparation boiling actively. Stirring the preparation 
is quite unnecessary during this stage of the work. When boiled suffi- 
ciently it will assimilate perfectly with water and should then be di- 
luted with the proper quantity of cold water, adding it slowly at first 
and stirring occasionally during the process. The undiluted prepara- 
tion is pale yellowish in color, but by the addition of water it becomes- 
a very dark brown. Before being sprayed on the trees it should be 
strained through a fine wire sieve, or through a piece of swiss muslin,, 
and this is usually accomplished when pouring the liquid into the spray- 
ing tank, by means of a strainer placed over the opening through which 
the preparation is introduced into the tank. 

The preparing of this compound would be greatly accelerated if the 
resin and caustic soda were first pulverized before being placed in the 
boiler, but this is quite a difficult task to perform. Both of these sub- 
stances are put up in large cakes for the wholesale trade, the resin be- 
ing in wooden barrels, each barrel containing a single cake weighing 
about 375 poumis, while the caustic soda is put up in iron drums con- 
taining a single cake each, weighing about 800 pounds. The soda is 
the most difficult to dissolve, but this could doubtless be obviated by 
first dissolving it in cold water and then using the solution as required. 

It has been very generally supposed that the finer the spray could b& 
thrown upon the tree the better would be the results obtained, but 
after conversing with several persons who make the spraying of trees- 
their special work I was somewhat surprised to learn that each of them 
were in favor of a rather coarse spray. In nearly every instance they 
had started out with the impression that a fine spray was the best, but 
liad gradually adopted one somewhat coarser, finally adopting one that 
threw a moderately coarse spray with cousiderable force. After care- 
fully investigating the subject I found that their reasons for preferring 
a rather coarse spray to a fine one were well founded. 

The object sought for is not so much to simply sprinkle and wet the 
tree as it is to paiut or varnish it over with the compound used, and 
this can best be accomplished by the use of a rather coarse spray, which 
enables them to throw the liquid upon the tree with considerable force, 
so that when it strikes any portion of the tree it spreads out and covers 
the adjoining parts with a thin film, as if put on with a brush. It also 
strikes many of the leaves with such force as to cause them to expose 
to the spray portions of their surfaces that would otherwise escape. 
Besides this, by the use of a moderately coarse spray the tree can be 



12 

^vet or varnished over in a much shorter space of time than when a 
finer spray is used, and all of the operators that I have conversed with 
on this subject were unanimous in their statements that the time thus 
saved much more than compensated for the somewhat larger quantity 
of the preparation that was required when the coarse spray was em- 
ployed as compared with a finer spray. The evidence, therefore, 
4ippears to be decidedly in favor of a rather coarse spray. 

But whatever may be the character of the preparation used, or the 
nature of the spraying" nozzle employed, the success of the operation 
will depend very largely upon the thoroughness with which the prepa- 
ration has been applied. In the case of small trees it is comparatively 
^asy to wet every part of them, but when the trees are 20 feet or more 
in height and have not been properly pruned it is not only difficult but. 
quite impossible to wet every portion of them ; and, unfortunately, the 
tendency is to use as little of the prej)aration upon the tree as is abso- 
lutely necessary. On tall trees the operationof spraying is made more 
effectual by the use of tall ladders, so that the various parts of the trees 
•can be sprayed from above as well as from below. 

It is well known among those who have had any experience in trying 
to destroy the Red Scale with sprays of any kind that the scale insects 
which are located upon the fruit are less affected by the different 
liquid preparations than those located upon the leaves or bark. 
The reason for this appears to lie in the fact that those located ui)on 
the fruit, having an abundance of food always within easy reach, are 
more healthy and vigorous than those located upon the other i)arts of 
the tree, and consequently are better prepared for resisting the destruc- 
tive effects of the spray. That healthy, vigorous insects are capable of 
resisting the effects of a destructive agency that has proved fatal to 
their less vigorous comrades there can be no doubt. An instance of 
this kind is given in my report to Professor Riley for the year 1888, as 
published in the Annual Report of this Department for that year. On 
page 128, in speaking of the effects of arseniuretted hydrogen gas upon 
the Fluted or Cottony-cushion Scale [Icerya purchasi^ Maskell), the state- 
ment is made that " Subsequent experiments made upon perfectly 
healthy trees and insects showed that when the gas was used strong 
enough to have proved fatal to all of the Icerya on the neglected trees 
it did not kill one-half of those on the vigorous trees." Owing to this 
fact it would be advisable to refrain from irrigating and cultivating in- 
fested orange trees for several weeks before spraying them, were it not 
for the other fact that in the case of bearing trees such a course would 
seriously interfere with their bearing qualities or operations. Unlike 
deciduous fruit trees, our citrus trees do not take a rest of several months' 
duration between the ripening of the fruit and the blossoming of the 
trees for another crop ; only a few weeks at the most intervening between 
these two periods in the case of orange trees, while on healthy bearing 
lemon trees both blossoms and fruit are to be found at every season of 
the year. 



13 

In the case of beariag orange trees it wonld appear that the season 
of the year when they could be sprayed with the least amount of in- 
jury to themselves and with the greatest fatality to the red scales infest- 
ing them would be at a time when they were in blossom, after all of 
the fruit of the preceding season had been removed from them. Ther& 
would at such a time be no fruit on the trees for the scale-insects to 
locate upon, so that all these insects that could be reached by the spray 
would be destroyed without at the same time injuring any portion of 
the tree. . Several persons who had sprayed their orange trees at a tim& 
when the latter were in full bloom informed me that to all appearances 
none of the blossoms were injured by the spray, providing that the 
latter was not used so strong that it injured the leaves, being unani- 
mously of the opinion that the blossoms were as hardy as the leaves.. 
The young fruit is much more susceptible to the effects of the spray than 
are either the leaves or the blossoms, and this is the case until it becomes, 
at least half-grown. It has been my experience, and also the experience 
of others with whom I have conversed upon the subject, that where the 
conditions are equal an orange tree is more susceptible to the eflfects^ 
of a given spray than a lemon tree, the foliage of the latter being 
hardier ; whereas in the case of frosts the reverse of this is true, lemon 
trees being greatly injured by frosts that would produce little or no 
effect upon orange trees growing under similar conditions. 

It is a well-established fact that any given spray will not be so fatal 
to the scale insects during the cooler portion of the year as it will if 
applied during the hotter portion. On this account it will evidently be 
found necessary during the winter months to use a somewhat stronger 
solution than indicated in the formula given above ; and probably the 
proper proportions to use during this season would be obtained by ad- 
ding water sufficient to make only 80 gallons, instead of 100 gallons as. 
given in the above formula. 

What is true in regard to the effects of the solution upon the insects 
is equally true of its effects upon the tree, the same solution that would 
not injure the tree if applied during cool weather might injure it very 
severely if applied during very warm weather. As bearing upon this^ 
subject, I can not do better than to give the experience of one of my 
correspondents, Mr. F. G. Ryan, an intelligent orange-grower of 
Anaheim, in the adjoining county of Orange. Mr. Ryan used the resin 
compound quite extensively for the destruction of the Black Scale 
{Lecanium olecc Bernard), and under date of February 7, 1889, he writes 
me as follows : 

I waut to tell you of a disappointing experience I had with the resin compound. 
On January 21 and 22 I sprayed twelve trees in one quarter of the grove and eight ia 
another with a compound composed of 1 pound of caustic soda, 8 pounds of resin and 
!i2 gallons of water. Afier doing this a hot, drying wind arose and stopped our work. 
The wind continued for several days, becoming milder each succeeding day, and on 
the fourth day I noticed some leaves dropping from these trees; this dropping of the 
foliage has continued and increased until now there is scarcelv half the foliage left 



14 

on two or three of the trees, and the others show a loss of from 15 to 50 per cent. I 
argue that as the trees first sprayed show a lesser loss than the others, the probabili- 
ties are that the water and compound were not thoroughly mixed, and as it is my cus- 
tom to keep the inlet pipe of the pump near the top of the solution to avoid the sedi- 
ment, these trees received a weaker solution, as the compound would remain at the 
l)ottom of the tank until thoroughly mixed and suspended in the water. No condi- 
tions of health of trees or soil alfected the loss of foliage, since similar results are 
shown by the trees in the other part of the grove. My conclusion is that the cause 
-exists in too strong a solution, followed by hot, dry winds for several days. Since 
the date of spraying there has been no rain nor even a fog or cloud until two days 
ago. I am happy to say, though, that the bugs are dead. 

That tbis disastrous result to the foliage was the direct effect of the 
hot drjiug wiud appears to admit of uo doubt, siuce Mr. Ryau informs 
me that when uo such wiud prevailed he had sprayed a large number of 
his orange trees with a compound made precisely like the one used 
above, and the trees thus sprayed dropped scarcely a leaf. The fact 
that the latest trees sprayed suffered the most indicates not so much 
that they were sprayed with a stronger solution than the others, but 
rather that being sprayed later and being still wet with the solution 
they would naturally be more affected by the hot winds than those 
which were sprayed earlier, and from which the surplus solution had 
had time to drip off, while the remainder would be quite dry before the 
hot wind occurred. 

Following is an account of a number of exijeriments which I made 
with various resin compounds and resiu soaps for the destruction of the 
Red Scale [Aspidiotus aurantii Maskell) ; they were made at Orange, in 
the adjoining county of Orange, upon trees kindly placed at my disposal 
by Mr. H. F. Gardner. The trees in experiments 181-194 contained uo 
fruit, but there were green oranges on all of the other trees experi- 
mented upon. 

In making each of these solutions the necessary ingredients were 
placed in the boiler, covered with water, and boiled briskly from two to 
three hours, after which they assimilated well with water ; the solution 
was then diluted with the proper quantity of water, strained through a 
piece of barley sack, and then sprayed upon the tree. In each instance 
only a small quantity of solid or semi-solid matter was strained out of 
the different solutions. An exception to this occurs in experiments 185 
and 186, in which the resin was simply dissolved in water over a hot 
fire, after which the necessary quantity of water was added and the 
solution strained, as described above. In dissolving the, resin I used 
3 gallons of water for each pound of the resin ; at first I tried to dissolve 
it at the rate of 1 pound of resiu to 2 gallons of water, but a portion of 
the resin would not dissolve until more water had been added. The 
solution was of a milky-white color, and assimilated well with water. 

The cost per 100 gallons of the different preparations as given below 
is based upon wholesale prices of the different ingredients, furnished 
me by the Los Angeles Soap Company, of this city. The rate on resiu 
is by the lO-barrel lot of 375 pounds per barrel ; of caustic soda, by the 



15 

drum of 800 pounds ; of fish-oii, by the barrel of 50 gallons ; of potash, 
bj^ the cask of 700 pounds; and of tallow, by the barrel of 375 poubds. 

(181) Resin, 2.5 pounds; caustic soda, 3 pounds; water to make 100 
gallons; costs 65 cents. The diluted soHition was of a light brown color. 
Sprayed on an orange tree at 11.30 a. m., July 17, sun shining, light 
breeze. August 6, foliage uninjured; found a great many live scales. 

(182) Resin, 33 pounds; caustic soda, 4 pounds; water to make 100 
gallons ; costs 84 cents. Sprayed on an orange tree at 11.45 a. m., July 
17, sun shining, light breeze. August 6, foliage uninjured; found great 
many live scales. 

(199,200) Resin, 25 pounds; caustic soda, 6 pounds; water to make 
100 gallons ; costs 77 cents. Sprayed on two orange trees at 10.45 and 
and 11 a. m., August 7, sun shining, light breeze. September 2, found 
great many live scales, especially on the fruit ; leaves uninjured; many 
of the half-grown oranges have rusty, brownish spots on their under 
sides, or where they came in contact with each other or with a branch 
or other object. These spots were still present October 19, but whether 
they will disappear or not before the fruit ripens remains to be seen. 

(201) Resin, 33 pounds; caustic soda, 8 pounds; water to make 100 
gallons; costs $1. Spraj^ed on an orange tree at 11.15 a. m., August 
7, sun shining, light breeze. September 2, same as in the preceding 
experiment. 

(190) Resin 16 pounds, fish-oil 6 pints, caustic soda 6 pounds, water 
to make 100 gallons, costs 85 cents. The diluted solution was of a very 
dark brown color. Sprayed on a lemon and orange tree (i. e. orange 
budded to lemon, but the orange branches not cut away) at 1:30 p. m., 
July 18, sun shining, light breeze. August 6, leaves and newest growth 
uninjured; found ten live scales. 

(191) Resin 22 pounds, fish oil 1 gallon, caustic soda 8 pounds, water 
to make 100 gallons; costs $1.15. Sprayed on an orange tree at 2 p.*m., 
July 18, sun shining, light breeze. August 6, a few of the older leaves 
have brownish spots on their under sides ; found three live scales. 

(192,195) Resin 20 pounds, fish oil 3 pints, caustic soda 6 pounds, 
■water to make 100 gallons ; costs 80 cents. Sprayed on a lemon and 
on an orange tree at 1 and at 12:10 p. m., July 19, and August 7 ; sun 
shining in the first, cloudy in the second experiment, light breeze. 
August 6, in first experiment leaves uninjured; found two live scales. 
September 2, in second experiment leaves uninjured ; found 12 live 
scales on the fruit and 8 on under side of the leaves where they had 
evidently escaped the spray. In both experiments the fruit was as 
described in experiment 199 above, but to a less degree. 

The formula in these two experiments was the same, except that in 
192 one pound more of the resin was used than in 195; but this small 
quantity in 100 gallons could scarcel3'' have affected the results. This 
is the same formula used on September 3 of the present year (1889) 
for spraying twenty-five orange trees, in accordance with instructions 



16 

from Mr. Howard, referred to above. Two of tlie trees were 5 feet 
tall by 4 iu diameter, while the others ranged from 1-4 to 18 feet tall 
by from 12 to 16 feet iu diameter. They were sprayed between the 
hours of 3 aud 5.30 p. m.; suu shining, light breeze. Three hundred 
gallons of the dihited compound were used. A tree 16 feet tall by 14 
feet in diameter required about 14 gallons of the compound, and three 
men and a spraying outfit will spray about 800 gallons in a day. The 
cost of materials and labor in spraying with this compound a tree of 
the size indicated above amounts to about 24 cents per tree. I exam- 
ined the above-mentioned trees September 24, and again October 
19, aud found that the leaves aud fruit were uninjured, but a few of 
the oranges had small brown spots on them as described above in ex- 
periment 199. Nearly all of the scales located on the leaves and bark 
were dead, but about ouefourth of those located upon the fruit were 
still alive. 

(193, 196) Eesiu 28 pounds, fish oil 4 pints, caustic soda 8 pounds, 
water to make 100 gallons ; costs $1.10. Sprayed on two orange trees 
at 1.15 and 12.20 p. m., July 19 and August 7; sun shining in the 
first, cloudy in the second, light breeze. August 6, September 2, 
and October 19, leaves uuiujured; some of the oranges had brown 
spots on them as described above in experiment 199 ; found only one 
live scale on the leaves, and three on the fruit. 

(202) Eesiu 21 pounds, fish oil 3 pints, crude potash 4 pounds, water 
to make 100 gallons; costs 85 cents. Sprayed on an orange tree at 
12.30 p. m., August 8; sun shining, light breeze. September 2, 
leaves uninjured; some of the oranges had brown spots on them as de- 
scribed above in experiment 199 ; found many live scales both on the 
leaves and fruit. 

(203) Resin 28 pounds, fish oil 4 pints, potash 5^ pounds, water to 
make 100 gallons; costs $1.15. Sprayed on an orange tree at 1 p. m., 
August 8; sun shining, light breeze. September 2, same as in the 
preceding experiment. 

(183) Eesiu 20 pounds, tallow 6J pounds, caustic soda 6^ pounds, 
water to make 100 gallons; costs 98 cents. Sprayed on a lemon tree 
at 12 m., July 17 ; sun shining, light breeze. August 6, a few of the 
older leaves were injured ; found great many live red scales. 

(184) Eesin 25 pounds, tallow 8 pounds, caustic soda 8 pounds, water 
to make 100 gallons ; costs $1.22, Sprayed on an orange tree at 12.30 
p. m., July 17 ; sun sliiniug, light breeze. August 6, leaves uninjured ; 
found three live red scales. 

, (183) Eesin 17 pounds, tallow 6 pounds, caustic soda 6 pounds, water 
to make 100 gallons ; costs 88 cents. Sprayed on an orange tree at 1 
p. m., July IS ; suu shiniug, light breeze. August 6, leaves and newest 
growth uninjured ; found twelve live red scales. 

(189) Eesiu 22 pounds, tallow 8 pounds, caustic soda 8 pounds, water 
to make 100 gallons; costs $1.16. Sprayed on a lemon tree at 1,15 



17 

p. 111. July 18; sui) shining, light breeze. August 0, leaves uninjured ; 
found fourieen live red scales. The pupie and recently transformed 
adults of the Chalcid fly, Bilophof/aster californica Howard, which in- 
fested fully 80 per cent, of the black scales (Lecanmm olew Bernard) 
on this tree, were all of them destroyed by this spray, 

(187) Eesiu 2§ pounds, tallow 14 pounds, crude potash 5^ pounds, 
water to make 100 gallons; costs $1.10. Sprayed on a lemon tree at 
4.30 p. m., July 17 ; sun shining, light breeze. August 6, leaves unin- 
jured; found three live red scales. 

(185) Resin 19 pounds, water to make 100 gallons; costs 38 cents. 
Sprayed on an orange tree at 4 p. m., July 17; sun shining, light breeze. 
August 6, leaves and newest growth uninjured, but few of the red scales 
were destroyed. 

(18G) Resin 22 pounds, water to make 100 gallons; costs 44 cents. 
Sprayed on a lemon tree at 4.15 p. m., Julj' 17 ; sun shining, light breeze. 
August G, same as in the preceding experiment. 

EFFECTS OF THE EUREKA. INSECTICIDE ON THE RED SCALE. 

On the 1st of August of the present year I received a letter from 
Acting Entomologist Howard, dated July 25, 1889, requesting me to 
make a test of the "Eureka Insecticide," put up by E. Bean, of Jack- 
sonville, Fla,, who would forward me a few sample cans of the insecti- 
cide for this purpose. These samples reached me in due time, and I 
carefully tested the preparation according to directions. One pound 
of it was emptied into a vessel, 6 gallons of cold water added, and the 
whole frequently stirred. After the lai)se of one hour I allowed 
the insoluble portion to settle to the bottom of the vessel, i^oured off 
the clear liquid portion, and sprayed it upon an orange tree at 2 p. m., 
August 7 ; cloudy, light breeze. September 2 the leaves were nnin- 
jured, and I could not discover that any of the red scales {Aspidiotus 
aiirantii Maskell) that were encased in a scale or shell at the time the 
application was made had in the least been affected by the spray. 

In a circular received from the proprietor it is stated that this insecti- 
cide is sulphur in solution, a patented process, and that it " is abso- 
lutely fatal to the rust mite, and also to the scale insect during the 
breeding or migratory periods," providing that the applications extend 
through the entire season. It is possible that this insecticide would 
prove fatal to the recently hatched red scale, but as this becomes cov- 
ered over with a shell inside of twenty-four hours after leaving the 
parent, and as the young ones appear during almost every day in the 
year, it follows that in order to be effective it would be necessary to 
apply this insecticide every day for three or four months consecutively 
— a task which very few of our fruit-growers would be willing to per- 
form. 

23479— No. 22 2 



KEPORT ON INSECTS OF TOE SEASON IN IOWA. 

By Prof. IlKiuJKirr Osbokn, Special Agent. 
letter of transmittal. 

Iowa Aguicultui;al College, 

Ames, December 11, 1S89. 

Sir: I beg to submit lierewith my report upon the season's observatiousand study 
for 1889. 

I Lave diiriDg the season made a series of tests of X. O. Dust under directions from 
your office; lejiorts of wbicb were trausraitted imiuediately on completion of the 
tests, and liavc contiuued to work, conjointly with yourself, on the insects affecting 
domestic animals. As bearing upon the same general subject, and connected with one 
of the most important industries of the State, and, indeed, of a large part of the 
United States, I have given such time as I could to the study of insects affecting 
meadows and pastures. Believing, however, that more could be accomplished by 
giving attention to some particular group, and considering the great importance 
of the Leaf-hoppers and other Homoptera, and the fact that they have been but 
slightly studied in this connection, I have spent most of the time upon this group. 

The study of these is rendered more difficult in consequence of the great number 
of species as yet undescribed, and the lack of any complete literature upon known 
American species. But for these very reasons there is the more need of their being 
investigated. My results seem meager for the time devoted, but I believe that with 
the material now brought together much more rapid progress can be made in future 
studies. 

Thanking you for the many favors received from your office, I am 
Very respeetfnlly, 

Herbert Osborn. 

Prof. C. V. Riley, 

U. *S'. Entomolofjist . 



GENERAL OBSERVATIONS. 

While IK) wi(le-S[)rend devastation baa occurred in tlie State during 
tbe past season tliere has been a considerable amount of damage from 
a number of different species affecting various crops and operating in 
ditferent parts of the State. 

Cut- worms of different species were unusually abundant, and I re- 
ceived specimens and inquiries regarding them from different parts of 
the State. They were quite troublesome in gardens, nurseries, and 
tields in this locality. 

The Turf Web- worms {Cramhus cxsiccatus), reported on in detail two 
years ago, were again quite abundant, but not so numerous or destruc- 
tive as in 1887. An allied species {Or ambits Jaqueatellus) was quite 
18 



19 

abundant in the adult form in the latter part of May, and there is good 
reason to believe that the larva) have the same destructive habit in 
grass, and, from the occurrence of the imago so early in the season, it 
would seem probable that as in exsiccatus there are two broods each 
season. 

Another moth nearly related to these web-worms occurred this sea- 
son in great numbers in pastures and meadows, and though I have not 
had opportunity to study the larval stage, it may be well to call attention 
to it as a probable grass pest that may prove as troublesome as the spe- 
cies of Crambus. This is tlie N'omophila noctuella, and it was noticed in 
greatest-abundance from May 18 to 22 (1889). The species has been 
observed as abundant in previous seasons and is probably a pretty con- 
stant inhabitant of grass land. 

During the latter part of Maj" and first part of June the Blue Grass 
in the vicinity suffered from the trouble called " Silver Top," the head 
and upper joint of the stalk turning whitish. I examined a number of 
these withered and partly wilted stalks and in a few cases found Thrips 
present, and in some cases swollen joints appearing as if affected with 
Meromyza, the adults of which were very plentiful on grass a little 
earlier. If due to Tkrips, I think they must leave the grass almost as 
soon as it begins to wither, as in the cases where I found them I selected 
stems that were just beginning to turn white. 

The Clover-seed Midge has appeared in this State, and the present 
year is the first I think that it has been destructive. It has been re- 
ported in a few localities and I swept the adults from clover in consider- 
able numbers May 25. A very few were bred from clover heads in 1888. 
Epitrix cucumeris was very abundant on potatoes, but as the vines 
had a very vigorous growth in the early part of the season no serious 
damage resulted. 

Biabrotica vittata and I). 12-puncfata were exceedingly plentiful and 
furnished me material for some tests of X. O. Dust hitherto reported. 
I also tried for these a mixture of London purple and kerosene emulsion 
for the purpose of killing the beetles gathered on the squash vines and 
preventing the complete destruction of foliage, depending upon the 
London purple to kill the beetles gathering on the vines later. After 
this application the vines did very well and I think the plan a success. 
The beetles will, some of them, fly away before the kerosene takes effect, 
but they probably all die in a short time. I have since noticed that 
Prof. John B. Smith has used a similar plan for treating the Elm-leaf 
Beetle, and it would seem to be applicable in many cases where the 
expense is not an obstacle and where it is desired to kill the bulk of the 
insects gathered on plants before they have time to destroy foliage, 
which they must do to some extent when treated with London purple. 

Plant lice of many species were abundant in the latter part of the 
season. Of these the Thorn-tree tVphid {Schizoneura cratwgi Oest.) was 
especially conspicuous by its abundance on thorn trees. The common 



20 

Willow Plaut-loiiso {Melax-anthus Halicin) was brought or sent me a num- 
ber of times, sbowiug that it attracted unusual attention, and the eggs 
deposited by the ovii)arous females were to be found in numbers under 
the buds of willow twigs in late autumn. Of all the species noticed, 
however, the swarms of the Dogwood Aphid {Schizoneura corni Fab.) 
were most remarkable. This species is referred to more particularly in 
another place. 

OJ3SEKVAT10NS ON INSECTS AFFECTING GRASSES. 

The importance of the pastures and meadows in this State will be 
conceded by every one familiar with its agriculture. Perhaps no other 
single element is of greater importance, furnishing, as it does, the basis 
for the stock industry of the State. 

The insects infesting meadows and pastures are therefore of the 
greatest importance, and while their depredations are perhaps less con- 
spicuous than those from insects afl'ecting some other crops, I think it 
can be clearly shown that the average annual loss in pastures and 
meadows from insect injuries is equal to if not greater than the crop har- 
vested or the amount consumed by cattle, horses, or sheep in pasture, 
and probably furnishing a total annual loss greater than in any other 
crop. In ordinary pasturage it is common, I believe, to allow two acres 
of land to each cow, or, for convenience, let us say that one acre will 
half support a cow. At the same time that this cow is feeding there 
are a million insects, more or less, of various kinds feeding upon the 
same area by day and night from the time the snow melts in spring till 
winter forces them to suspend their work. 

The only compensation they can offer is that when dead (and they 
die young), their million little carcasses dropping on the surface of the 
soil return to it some of the material which has been built into their 
tissues, increasing its richness and helping to support succeeding gene- 
rations. 

In my report upon the Turf Web-worm two j'earsago, I gave the count 
of burrows that had been opened by squirrels as twenty-five in one 
instance and fifty in another, within a square yard, and it is not prob- 
able that every burrow within those areas had been opened by squirrels, 
The web- worms were, however, uncommonly abundant that season. If 
we reduce the mean of these figures by one-half and allow two web- 
worms to each square foot it means 87,.120 to the acre, and then consider 
that these worms cut down quantities of grass that they do not devour, 
it would seem hardly too much to suppose that these alone would prove 
a pretty even match for one half a cow in disposing of the grass grow- 
ing on an acre. 

All are familiar with the depredations of white grubs, and it is hardly 
necessary to ask whether in seasons when these are i)lentiful they do 
not destroy as nuu;h or more than would sup])ort at least half a cow. 
Cutworms and Army worms are a constant source of loss in grass 



21 

land, and these with the grasshoppers, familiar to everybody, are capa- 
ble of mowinii' down a qnantity of .yrass dnring a season which ought 
to be api)reciated by the farmer. Grasshoppers ueed not be remarkably 
plentiful to place a. dozen to a square yard, over 50,000 to the acre, and 
is it any wonder that pastures run short in seasons when rain is scarce 
or grasshoppers a little more plentiful than usual I 

The kinds of insects so far mentioned perform their work in a way 
that causes an actual lessening of bulk in the crop, but there is another 
host, less noticeable in size as well as in method of work, whose actual 
damage in reduction of available food for stock must be of very great 
importance. These, like the Chinch Bug, which is one of their number, 
simply puncture the leaves or stems of the grass and pump out its 
juices, thereby abstracting much of the best food material even where 
they do not cause a checking of growth and shriveling of the plants. 
Many of these are insects of very minute proportions, but like the 
Chinch Bug make up in numbers for their diminutive size. It is no 
exaggeration I think to say that they occur by the million to the acre. 

A million mouths against a half a mouth, and is it necessary that the 
individual mouth be a very large one to make the aggregate food con- 
sumed equal that of the half cow 1 

In order that my figures may not seem purely fanciful, I may state 
that they are derived in part from actual count, but in all cases, when 
count has been made, the circumstances have been such as to make the 
numbers fall short of the actuality. 

I have captured leaf-hoppers on grass by throwing a net down verti- 
cally and counting the number caught within the area inclosed by the 
ring, and while it is hardly possible in this way to secure all that were 
actually within that area the average of a number of such captures 
gives nearly a million to the acre. 

I have many times observed them when plentiful and tried to count 
the number within a given area, but their activity makes this difficult. 
By approaching them very slowly and keeping very quiet, I have on 
some occasions been able to observe them closely and have on different 
occasions been able to count many within the area of a few square inches ; 
often two or more to a single blade of grass, and consequently 1 feel sat- 
isfied that the estimate based on the numbers captured are far below 
the actual numbers frequently occurring during seasons when they are 
ordinarily abundant and greatly under the number in seasons when 
they have multiplied to anj^ unusual degree. It may perhaps be urged 
that, even allowing them to abound in this degree every season, they 
are too small to consume a very great amount of food. Possibly a mill- 
ion leaf-hoppers would not exceed in bulk the half of an average cow, 
bat it should be remembered also that they grow very rapidly and must 
consequently use proportionately large quantities of food, and that they 
extract the most nutritious parts of the grass. That grass" forms the 
bulk of their food has not I think been questioned, but to be certain on 



22 

this point I have observed tliein carefully and examined with partic- 
ular care the ^rass blades on which I have stnin them established. 

On Sei)tember 7, I8S!), 1 swept grass where no other living- plants 
were to be seen and collected numerous Hemi[)tera of a number of dif- 
ferent species, mostly Homoptera. The grass was very dry, browu, and 
in many places appearing dead, but evidently still furnishing support 
for the leaf-hoppers. There were but few other insects present, scarcely 
any that could be supposed to feed upon grass, except some grasshop- 
pers {Caloptenus femur-rubrum, species of (l^dipoda, etc.). The species 
of Homoptera collected may I think be considered as nnquestionably 
grass feeders. ISo other vegetation that could furnish them support 
had been on the ground swept for weeks, and the insects swarmed on 
everj^ square foot. The grass commenced turning brown in i)atches 
long before it should be expected to, if affected only by want of rain, as 
it showed within a short time after the last rains, which had been quite 
regular and copious, previous to the dry period of that time, and its dry- 
ing up must have been hastened by losses due to the presence of in- 
sects. The ground was not yet dry enough so that the grass could 
have suffered from lack of moisture alone. Their presence on grass 
seems to show its effect in two ways, though for one of them it is diffi- 
cult to draw the line between the effects of leaf-hoppers and dryness. 
In one the effect of punctures shows in numerous pale and dry spots on 
the blades of grass resembling effects produced by related Homoptera 
on other plants, apple-trees, pear-trees, grape-vines, etc. Such spots 
can not be found, however, in such numbers as would be expected if 
there were one for every puncture by the millions of these insects that 
occur in every piece of grass land. But the great bulk of the grass is 
withered or dead down to a certain point near the ground (or to the 
ground), which would naturally be the appearance if the leaf withered 
from the lower punctures to the tip, thus obliterating all punctured 
spots on the terminal portion. 

The difference between grass withering from punctures and from lack 
of moisture is perhaps not sufficiently different to furnish a very safe 
basis for deduction, but in the latter case it is naturally more gradual 
and holds for a longer time the green color of hay, so that for withered 
grass not too long exposed I believe we should be able to distinguish in 
some degree the difference betweeu that killed by leaf-hoppers and that 
dried by excessive heat and lack of moisture in the ground. 

While this may fall short of actual demonstration, I think a careful 
study of the effects in the field will convince any one that my conclusions 
are justified by the facts and that, taking year after year, the amount of 
injury caused by insects of various kinds is fully equal to the amount 
consumed by the stock ordinarily pastured on the same land. It is evi- 
dent, then, that the prevention or the reduction of the insect injuries 
would add an equivalent amount to the return from such land. Instead 
of oue cow requiring two acres for pasturage,pastures comparatively free 



23 

from insects should support a cow to cacli acre through the entire sea- 
son. It is certain that much of this loss can be prevented by simple 
and inexpensive means. The capturing of the moths of Turf Web-worms 
and Cut-worms will help much in reducing their number. Grasshop- 
pers can be destroyed at the same time that Leaf-hoppers are, and by 
use of the same means, and it would seem certain that a method costing 
but 2 to 10 cents per acre might be applied with great profit for these 
insects alone. It is my object here, however, to treat in detail only of 
the remedies tried or proposed for Leaf-hoppers. 

APPEARANCE AND HABITS OF LEAF-HOPPERS (JASSID.E). 

The insects embraced in this group are almost all small and rather 
slender insects, with blunt or pointed heads and well-developed wings, 
which at rest lie i)arallcl along the back, usually sloping like a roof, 
or partly inclosing the body. One of the most characteristic features, 
however, is their habit of leaping when disturbed. All the species pos- 
sess this habit, though some do not leap as readily as others. The largest 
species common to grass are not over half an inch in length, while the 
smaller ones are less than an eighth of an inch long. Many of the spe- 
cies are extremely light and slender, almost invisible except when care- 
fully observed, wbile others have short, thick bodies. Their colors are 
well adapted to furnish them protection, many being green, others 
yellowisn or brownish, and in many cases they will not be noticed at 
all on the grass until they leap, and then it is usually because of the 
swarm that rise together that they become noticeable. All feed by 
puncturing the plant and sucking out the juicy contents of the leaves 
or stems. All, so far as known, puncture leaves or stems of plants to 
deposit their eggs, frequently placing them under the epidermis only. 
The larvie are commonly somewhat spiny at tirst and have the general 
form of the adults, passing by gradual development with little change 
through pupa, stage to adult. Most of the species, if not all, pass the 
winter as adults. 

REMEDIES FOR LEAF HOPPERS. 

Burning.— ¥or those species of leaf-hoppers which hibernate in grass, 
and especially those which are active there during late fall and early 
spring, a thorough burning over should prove of great advantage. 
Tlie Leaf-hoppers leap readily, but do not ordinarily fly any distance, 
and especially when the weather is cool would be unable to escape from 
the flames. In two pieces of grass land burnt over last spring and con- 
venient for observation one showed fairly good results, keeping its color 
well till late in summer, though surrounded by grass land, unburnt, on 
three sides. The other, a pasture of some size, was in poor condition 
all summer; but in this Turf Web-worms and Cut-worms were so 
plenty that they alone were sufficient to account for its poor condition. 



24 

Phmi'mg. — There seems little ground (or liopiiig that the number of 
Leaf-hoppers can be diminished materially by any system of plowing 
under, or by rotation of crops. Grass is an essential on every farm, 
and no system of starvation could be adopted, and even if deprived of 
the common pasture grasses, the most of the species eviilently thrive 
on the fox-tails and other grasses that flourish as weeds. The leaf- 
hoppers are too active to be plowed under and can readily migrate to 
other fields. Eggs for most of the species, at least, are not deposited 
at any fixed time of the year, and wliile by plowing under in May, June, 
or August many eggs might be buried, plenty of hoppers would 
escape to the surrounding grass land to lieep the farm well stocked. 

Mowing. — When the grass in which Leaf-hoppers have been very 
abundant is cut short, leaving only a dry stubble, the insects seem to 
be forced to migrate, as few or uoue can be found in such places a few 
days after the cutting nor until a new growth gives them a source of 
fresh food supply. While early cutting of meadows badly infested 
might result in saving a larger crop, it must follow that the Leaf-hoppers 
would travel to pastures or other grass land, and it would be simply a 
question as to where they would do the greater amount of damage. It 
would seem feasible, however, to take advantage of the time when the 
crop has been just removed to use hopper dozers or other means for 
capturing them before they have left for fresh pasture. We know, as 
yet, too little as to where and wheu the bulk of the eggs are deposited 
to say whether cutting at any particular time would result in the de- 
struction of any number of eggs. While we know that Leaf-hoppers de- 
posit eggs in stems and leaves of plants, we are not acquainted with 
their full history or the methods of different species, so that it would 
be unsafe at present to base remedies on this part of their history. 

Capturing in Nets. — The ease with which all species of leaf-hoppers 
afiecting grass can be taken in sweep nets led me to try the use of this 
principle on a larger scale. I therefore had a couple of wire frames 
made 3 feet long, fastened a deep cheesecloth net to each and attached 
these to two loug handles, so that the frame of one would brush the 
ground about a foot behind the forward one. The object of haviug two 
nets was to secure thehoppers which allowed the first wire to i)ass over 
them before leaping. W^ith the handles the net was pushed forward so 
that the insects were not disturbed till the approach of the net and a 
strip of ground a yard wide was gone over either at a walk or a run. 
While numerous insects were secured by this plau, Grasshoppers, Moths, 
Clover-seed Midges, and large numbers of Leaf-hoppers, the count of 
those secured from the nets showed that as compared with what must 
actually exist on the same ground as shown by other captures, only a 
portion of the Leaf-hoppers were thus secured, and considering the 
trouble of holding and destroying all the insects captured, I concluded 
that this plan was not ecpial to the hopper-dozer for this puri)ose. The 
second net captured a goodly number of insects as well as the forward 



25 

one aud probably held tbeiu better, as they could not as readily fly out 
after having entered. It was found that more insects were captured 
when the net was pushed at a run that when walking. J'robably even 
then many insects succeeded in flying out of the forward net. 

Nets arranged in this manner, two or even three in succession, might 
be made eight or ten feet long and run by boys, one at each end. The 
forward net should be closed as soon as a stop is made, and the nets all 
closed at the finish, when they may be left a day or two for the insects 
to die. Usually there are enough predaceous species captured to kill 
the others rapidly, aud such species could then be set free. Many 
species of insects beside the Leaf- hoppers are caught by this device, and 
some, such as the moths of Turf Web- worms, and Cut- worms, small Dip- 
tera, Clover-seed Midges, etc., that are not as apt to be taken in the hop- 
per dozer. 

Hopper Dozer. — This simple contrivance (a sheet-iron pan containing 
kerosene and water or coal tar, to be dragged over the infested ground), 
devised for the destruction of the JJocky Mountain Locust, i^ossesses the 
essential qualities for the destruction of the Leaf hoppers as well. I 
believe that it can be used with profit in any pasture aflected with these 
pests. The delicate Leaf-hoppers are killed by the kerosene almost the 
instant they touch it, and though my trials with it were made when the 
weather was so cool that the hoppers did not leap with their usual ac- 
tivity, they showed that it would operate successfully. It would be 
best, probably, to use it for these during warm days, when the insects 
are at their greatest activity, and early enough in the spring to catch 
the hibernating adults before they deposit eggs, repeating the opera- 
tion, if necessary, in July, and for meadows immediately after the re- 
moval of the hay crop. Perhaps two pans, one behind the other, will 
prove advantageous. 

The Shield Method. — A plan that is scarcely more than a modificatign 
of the above has been recently highly recommended for the destruction 
of the Leaf-hoppers infesting grapes. A quite similar plan was adopted 
for the destruction of the Rocky Mountain Locust years ago and is 
described in the first report of the United States Ent. Com,; and in his 
first annual report as State Entomologist of New York, Professor Lint- 
ner suggests its use for "low-feeding insects" "especially hopping 
species." I have not as yet tested it myself, but will give the plan, that 
others may test it for these insects if disposed. A piece of drilling or, 
what would be cheaper still, a strip of building paper is fastened to a 
light wooden frame and is coated with coal-tar or gas-tar, the residue 
from distilling oft kerosene from petroleum, or from gas manufacture. 
In case of grape Leaf-hoppers this frame is held as near the vines as pos- 
sible by one man, while another lifts the branches. The hoppers darting 
against the shield are caught and killed. For grass Leaf-hoppers the 
frame would be set on runners aud could be made 10 to 15 feet 
long and run by a boy or man at each end. The best angle at which to 



26 

hold it would be soon determined by trials, and if sloping back it might 
be that the underside of the shield, if coated with the tar, wonhl capture 
hoppers as well as the upper. As coal-tar can be secured iu most towns 
at small expense, aud as the frame for the shield costs but little, this 
method should be applied at a cost of not more than 5 to 8 cents per acre, 
and could be repeated two or three times during a season if either Grass- 
hoppers or Leaf hoppers become plenty. 

It could be used iu meadows or tall grass by mounting the frames on 
runners high enough so that the grass wlnle being bent over should 
have plenty of room to pass under the shield, but would not be likely 
to work well when pollen is flying from the grass blossoms or when the 
seed begins to fall, as the tar would so soon become covered with the 
dust aud chaff. 

NATURAL ENEMIES OF LEAF-HOPPERS. 

But little is known regarding natural enemies for these active little 
insects. I have found tlie common Coriscus ferns very plenty in all grass 
laud examined, aud where but few other insects were present to furnish 
it food. When left in nets with Leaf-hoppers the latter are soon found 
dead, while the Coriscus thrives, and knowing their very carnivorous 
habits, there can, I think, be no question as to their serving a useful 
purpose iu killing these as well as other grass pests. As this species 
does uot have the leaping habit it is less likely to be destroyed iu " hop- 
per dozers" than the hopping species, and consequently these remedies 
can be used with little danger of destroying this natural check to the 
multiplication of injurious species. 

SPECIES OF LEAF-HOPPERS OBSERVED IN GRASS. 
The Tknderfoot Leak-Hopper. 

{Diedrocephala moIIij)es Say.) 

This widely distributed species is perhaps the most abundant of its 
genus, and is unquestionably a source of much loss in pastures and 
meadows. Professor Uhler states its range as " Texas, Colorado, Mexico, 
and the southern part of the Atlantic region." It is one of the most 
abundant insects in the Upper Mississippi Valley, and I have found it 
in great numbers on blue-grass and on ])rairie grasses, where this must 
have been its principal, if not only, source of food. Uther grasses would 
seem to serve it equally well. Professor Uhler says (Standard Natural 
History, vol. ii, p. 249): 

The salt marshes of the Atlantic States fnrnisli places of shelter for it. whore it 
may be fouud on reedy grasses iu all stages from June till October. 

That it prefers moist places is evidenced by its comparative scarcity 
on high ground in dry seasons, and its greater abundance in the vicinity 
of thickets as well as in low ground at such times. It is about one- 



27 

tliird of an inch long, of a bright grass-green color, the head and thorax 
above yellow. It varites considerably in size, and the females average 
considerably larger than the males. The head is sharply pointed, has 
a nnniber of fine black lines on its npper snrface; the face is shaded 
dark brown, and has a double series of transverse bars. 

The larvre which appear to be most common in early summer are light 
green or yellowish, and agree with the adults in having the head sharply 
pointed. I have found them most common in May and June, and, as 
adults are abundant from this time till autumn, it is difficult to say 
whether there is more than one brood. I have not seen adults in winter 
or early spring, and it seems possible that eggs in this and allied species 
are laid in fall to hatch in spring. As this would be contrary to the 
habit of the majority of insects in this family it will require further ob- 
servation to establish it. It is at least quite certain that they do not 
hibernate as adults in grass, and unless eggs are deposited in steins of 
grass or other plants in grass lantl the insect can not bo destroyed by 
burning in early winter or spring. It will be seen that there are im- 
portant points to determine about this very common insect, and means 
of destroying it may depend in large degree upon the determination 
of some of the very simple steps in its life-history. It jumps readily, 
and like'other members of the family may be treated on the " hopper- 
dozer " i)lan. 

The New York Leaf-Hopper. 

{Diedrocephala novehoracensis Fitch.) 

This species is a little larger than the moUipes, but resembles it very 
closely. Its head, however, is less acute, and there are four distinct 
black spots on the front margin of the head, two of them close together 
at the tip and one each side in front of the eyes ; the lower surface of 
the head lacks the brown color of mollipes, or is but faintly browned. 
Their habits appear to be much the same, and they are often found in 
the same locations, though I have found this species more commonly 
in the grass in wooded pastures or at the borders of thickets. I have 
never observed it in such abundance as I have the moUipes^ and ordi- 
narily it is probably of little importance. With equal numbers it would 
of course be as serious a pest as any of the other species of the family. 
Professor Uhler says it is common in many parts of the United States 
north of Maryland and it extends north into Canada and British Co- 
lumbia. 

(Diedrocephala versuia Stiy. ) 

This species bears a striking resemblance to coccinea, and has very 
similar habits, occurring in similar localities, and i)robably living upon 
the same plants. While Saj''s description wao publishe;! in 1831 I know 
of no reference to the species in works on Economic Entomology, and 



28 

no reference that would indicate its occnrretuie in destructive numbers. 
It is introduced liere as one of a group of insects whose importance will 
I believe be more appreciated when their habits become better known. 

The Eed-backed Leaf-Hopper. 
(Diedrocejihala coccinea Forster.) 

So far as I have observed this is not an abundant species, and while 
evidently common throughout the United States 1 know of no record 
of its multiplying to numbers sufdcient to make it destructive. I have 
found it usually in the vicinity of timber or thickets, and while it prob- 
ably subsists on grasses does not select the open meadows or pastures 
but localities aftbrding more moisture and shade. It is a handsome and 
conspicuous species, the upper surface when wings are closed being 
largely of a deep red color with dark blue or blue-green stripes. It was 
described under the name of Cicada coccinea hy Forster (J. E.), in 1781 
(Novae. Spec. Insect., p. 96), and afterward by Say as Tettigonia quadri- 
vittata. 

The Hieroglyphic Leaf-Hopper. 

(Tcttigo)iia hieroc/lyj^hica Say.) 

This was quite an abundant species the jiast season, but the majority 
of the specimens taken were found in the grasses of timber or among 
the low herbage along ravines, grassy banks, etc. 

Professor Uhler says it "inhabits Texas, the foothills, and plains of 
Colorado from August to October, and the Atlantic region throughout." 
It is somewnat smaller than the molli2)es, usually less than one-fourth of 
an inch in length ; the head is rounded in front and marked with irregu- 
lar black crescentic spots and bars. There is much variation in deprh 
of coloring and extent of marking so that it is difficult to give a brief 
description that will be distinctive. While it was described in 1831 by 
Say, it has not been so abundant or noted as sufficiently destructive to 
get a place in the literature of economic entomology. Like many other 
of the species of this family, however, it has been lumped off with 
many of its relatives amoug the injurious leaf-hoppers, and hence 
should not be regarded as hitherto nnmentioned amoug injurious 
species. 

The Four-pointed Agallia. 

(Agallia quadripHnciala Prov.). 

This species appears to be common throughout most of the United 
States, altliough I am not aware of its having been recorded as occur- 
ring in great abundance at any place. It is, however, one of the species 
which occurs in considerable numbers and does its share toward injur« 
ing the vegetation of i)astures and meadows. 



29 

Whether it feeds iiiaiuly on grasses or attacks also the various plauts 
growing- with grasses I can not at present say, as it has not been studied 
in such connection as to determine this point. 

It is about an eighth of an inch in length and of a yellowish-brown 
color with scarcely any decided 'markings except two black points on 
the front margin of the head and two similar points at the hind margin 
of the j)rothorax. These latter points are nearly in line with those on 
the head, though a little farther apart, so that the four points stand 
nearly at the corners of an imaginary square. Other points within the 
square are in some specimens quite distinct, but not so conspicuous as 
the ones described. The species api)ears to have been first described 
by M. Prov^ancher ("ISrat. Can., IV, 376), in 1872, but it has quite gen- 
erally been known among entomologists as Agallia flaccida JJhl. Mr. 
E. P. Van Duzee (Entom. Amer., V., p. 167) says : 

This species I have received iu exchange from a number of correspondents as 
AyalJiaJfaccida IJhler, and have so used the name myself iu exchanging and i}i the 
List of Mnskofa Hemiptera. It seems to have been au early manuscript name of Mr. 
Uhler. 

But little can be stated regarding the life history of this species and 
there are probably no important diflerences between this and other spe- 
cies of the same family. Nearly all the specimens taken or observed 
have been mature, and without rearing it would be uncertain whether 
larv(e apparently of this species really belonged to it. Adults have 
been taken at different times of the year, and probably it can be found 
iu this condition during each month of the year. Mr. Van Duzee says 
in the article quoted above that " this is a very abundant species in 
western New York from early in May until September, and in fact the 
year round, as it appears to hibernate in the adult state, as do many 
if not all the JassidwJ^ 

I have not found it in grass during winter, and can not say whether 
it hibernates mainly in pastures and meadows or seeks the shelter of 
dead leaves and rubbish in thickets, hedges, etc. 

AgalHa sanguinolenta Prov. 

This little Leaf-hopper has been quite common in this locality during 
the last few years, and while never so abundant that it can be counted 
a serious pest in itself it must be counted in with related species in any 
enumeration which pretends to give the grass-feeding species. That it 
has a wide range is indicated by the following from Professor Uhler 
(Bull. U.S.Geol. and Geog.Surv.,vol. II, p. 359 [93, of part], 1876): "This 
is a very variable little insect, which is not confined to the region of 
the Rocky Mountains, but which has been found likewise in Texas, in 
British Columbia, Canada, and New England." 

It was described under the name of Bi/thoscopus sanguinolentus by M. 
Provancher in 1872 (Naturaliste Canadien, IV, 376) and in 1876 by Pro- 
fessor Uhler under the name of Bythomopus siccifolms. Mr. E. P. Van 



30 

Dnzeo Las, however, iu the Eutoinologica Aiuericaua (V., IGO) placed 
this latter as a synonym, and remarks : 

Through the kiuduess of M. Provaiicher I had the pleasure of examining a tyi)ical 
example of his species and have thus been able to compare it directly with Mr. 
Uhler's description, and find that it agrees* in every particular. It is not an un- 
common species here (Buffalo, N. Y. ) on grass and weeds in pastures and road sides, 
especially where Carex and Junciis abound. 

It is a little smaller than the quadripunctata and rather broader in 
proportion, and is quite readily distinguished from that species by the 
dark wing veins and the more decided markings on the head and pro- 
thorax. It is scarcelj^ an eighth of an inch in length and fully one-third 
as wide as long. 

A dark form which differs from the typical ones, so far as I can see, 
only in the greater intensity of the markings is perhaps even more 
common here than the typical form, and this I have found fairly plenty 
and quite active in blue-grass lawn during the latter part of November, 
so that we may be pretty certain that it hibernates under grass and 
probably feeds more or less during mild weather of kite fall and early 
winter. It can also be considered as quite certain that it can live ex- 
clusively upon grass, as in the localities where I have observed it it 
couUl scarcely have been depending on other vegetation for its food. 

The Wavy-Spotted Leaf-Hopper. 

(Allt/gus irroratus Say.) 

The propriety of including this species in a discussion of grass in- 
sects may possibly be questioned, since its range of food [ilants is very 
great. There is no question, however, that plants of the grass family 
are among those most commonly affected by it, and I have found it 
abundant in grass land, where evidently this was its only source of 
food. It will be unnecessary, however, to detail its method of work, as 
it agrees so nearly with other members of the same family, and all 
methods of treatment must be based on similar principles. It may be 
stated, however, that there is as yet no evidence, so far as I know, that 
it hibernates in grass, and therefore those remedies based on that habit 
in some of the species will not be applicable to this. Descriptions of 
the species were published by Say in 1831, and since that time the spe- 
cies has had frequent mention in entomological works, but only occa- 
sional reference to it as an injurious species is made, and in these ref- 
erences it is as often spoken of as a grain pest. 

The Destructive Leaf-Hopper. 
(Cicadula exitiosa Uhler.) 

When attention was first called to this species it was from its attacks 
on wheat, but that it is of equal if not greater importance as a grass 
pest seems to me i)retty clear after the observations of the present 



31 

season, and it would be interesting to know whether, in the reported 
destruction to wheat, this crop had not followed grass or whether the 
insects had not simply traveled from grass land. I have taken them 
in abundance from grass, and in blue-grass, where no other living plants 
were near, they occurred in large numbers, so that there would seem to be 
no question as to grass being their natural food. They have been 
reported as abundant and destructive on timothy in Missouri. (Insect 
Life, Vol. I, p. 381). 

They are about two-tenths of an inch in length, of a brownish color, 
and the wings are rather prominently marked with dark veins. It is 
an active species, jumps and flies readily, and is easily captured in a 
sweepnet, and would probably fall an easy victim to the "hopper dozer" 
or "shield," where these can bo used. 

It was described by Professor Uhler in the American Entomologist, 
Vol. Ill, p. 73 (1880), and a description and an account of its injuries to 
wheat in the Carolinas and Georgia occurs in the Report of the Depart- 
ujont of Agriculture for 1879. 

The Hurtful Leaf-Hoppek. 

(Jassns inimicus Say.) 

Of all the species of Homoptera that I have observed infesting grass 
this has been unquestionably the most abundant and constant in its 
depredations. It is par excellence a grass pest, and is found in great 
numbers in pastures and meadows at all seasons of the year, even in 
warm days of early winter, being found hopping actively about among 
the blades of grass and probably extracting some slight amount of food 
material even during this season. During the past season they hav^e 
been especially numerous and destructive, or at least my attention has 
been called to them more frequently than before. My notes show them 
swarming in May, June, July, August, and September, and, recently, 
the latter part of J^ovember, and, later, December 12. I have found 
them scarcely less plentiful and active in the grass on blue-grass lawn. 
I observed them also in great numbers in all the pastures and meadows 
that I examined while in Linn County, in the eastern part of the State, 
in the latter part of June. Actual killing of grass by them is, however, 
a somewhat difficult matter to prove, and, except in seasons of unusual 
dryness, there is probably not sufficient withering of the grass from 
their presence to attract attention. In July and August grass here 
showed injury by turning brown in patches, and this commenced too 
soon after rains to be referred entirely to drought. 

Later in the summer (September 7 and later), when the attacks of the 
leaf-hopper had caused most of the lawn to appear brown, such patches 
were not conspicuous. Examination of the grass where blades were 
not entirely withered would show in many cases brown spots of varying 
sizes, generally with the center on or near the midrib, and from small 



32 

spots of this kind all gradations of withering could be found up to 
where the entire blade was withered or brown. Pleuty of these insects 
were to be found even where the grass was comparatively dry, but that 
they preferred the more juicy grass was showu b}^ their accumulation iu 
shaded places or where the grass presented more vigorous aspect. 
They could be secured iu abundance from patches where no other veg- 
etation occurred, and in the absence of other insects iu numbers to 
cause the withering meulioned, there can be no question, I think, as to 
the serious nature of their attacks upon the grass. Even when they do 
not cause withering of grass they must draw seriously upon its vitality. 

I have thus far been unable to separate any definite broods. Adults 
occur during the entire year, and larv;e, which may be quite certainly 
referred to this species, may be found associated with them during the 
most of the summer months. Larvae are perhaps most common during 
June and in August and September, but whether there are two broods 
or three, or an indefinite number depending only on the length of the 
season, I can not now say. It seems most probable, however, that 
breeding goes on irregularly all through the summer months, but that 
the adults of spring are represented by only two or three generations 
of progeny, and the members of the latest broods survive the winter to 
begin the production of new generations in the spring. 

In connection with his description of the species, which was published 
in 1831, Say makes the remark that " When iu the larva state this 
species is said to depredate on the roots of wheat. Several specimens 
were sent me by Professor Green in the year 1822, who received them 
from a farmer in Virginia." 

Considering the wide distribution and great abundance of this species, 
it seems strange that it should have been so little studied or so rarely 
mentioned in works on injurious insects. 

The insect is somewhat less than a fourth of an inch long and appears 
grayish or yellowish gray, and about the most constant marking are two 
dots on the front of the head, two on prothorax, and two on scutellura. 
A form lighter than the typical examples but which seems to me only 
a light variety, has even these dots obscure or wanting. 

The larvie are light yellowish but seem to be subject to about as 
much variation as the adults. An extreme form of larva?, probably be- 
longing to this species, has dark margins to the prothorax and abdomen. 

Several other species of Jassidw have been observed in grass, but as 
they are not as yet determined I omit further mention of them at this 
time. 

THE GRASS-ROOT PLANT-LOUSE ALIAS THE DOGWOOD PLANT-LOUSE. 

{ScliLoneura corni Fab.) 

Probably the most interesting result of my season's observations 
from a scientific stand-point, and it may be the most important econom- 
ically, is the determination of the identity of a form of plant-louse in- 



33 

festing the roots of grasses duriug the summer with one occurring on 
the leaves of dogwood duriug autumn. The full import of this connec- 
tion from the economic stand-point can not be known till it is determined 
how many species of grasses are aflected by the root form and to what 
extent the migration to dogwood exposes it to attack. If its occurrence 
is conlined to the annual grasses (and it seems to occur only on these), 
its importance to the farmer will be much less than if it is found to work 
also on perennial species. 

A brief statement of the connection between these two forms was 
published in Insect Life (Vol. II, pp. 108-9), but a fuller account, with 
details of observations, is proper at this time. 

My attention was first called to this species on September 15, when I 
noticed the air was tilled with small insects, which on capture were 
found to be plant-lice of the genus ScMzoneura. Their immense num- 
bers, filling the air as far as could be seen in all directions, naturally 
excited \i\y interest, and I walked some distance in the direction from 
which they seemed mainly to come (which was with the wind), but 
without locating their origin, except to observe that they were resting 
on all sorts of plants and were very plentiful along roads and paths 
where fox-tail and other grasses were plenty. Upon examination I de- 
termined the specimens gathered to be ScMzoneura corni Fab,, speci- 
mens of which I had gathered a year or two ago from dogwood. It 
seemed difficult, however, to account for such an immense swarm of them 
when dogwood is not especially abundant in the immediate vicinity and 
had not been observed as infested with aphids. In looking over de- 
scriptions of allied species I was struck by the close agreement with 
descriptions of ScMzoneura panicola Thos., and, following this lead, I 
examined the roots of Setaria and Panicum on September 16, when the 
winged forms were again numerous in the air. My search was almost 
immediately rewarded with the finding of numerous wingless ScMzo- 
neiirw, and among them some which showed wing-pads and two with wings 
partly expanded. These were compared carefully with winged corni 
found flying and also with corni from dogwood, and showed such close 
agreement that I felt it important to follow the matter up. One of the 
specimens, with wings partly developed, was mounted in balsam for 
future reference; the others, on grass roots, were put in breeding jars. 
Their subsequent history will be stated later on. 

Examinations in the field on the 18th showed lice still somewhat 
plenty on grass roots, though the Setaria examined failed to show them 
in very great abundance. Examinations the same day, of the dogwood 
in the timber near, showed on the very first bush noticed numbers of 
the winged (pseudogyne) individuals, and with them numbers of small 
larvai evidently just extruded. The colonies accompanying each 
pseudogyne Gontiiiued from one to a number of larvjie, "but none of these 
could have been more than a day or two old, all very small, scarcely 
larger than when first born. In no case could I find a leaf on any of 
23179— :N^o. 22 3 



34 

the bushes examined wliich contained any colonies without the winjjed 
mother or wliere there was the slightest evidence of the previous 
presence of aphides ; no cast skins from ohl colonies or damaged leaves, 
and every indication went to prove that the winged form had just settled 
upon the trees and begun the formation of colonies. While perhaps of 
little value as proof, it may also be mentioned that no Schizoneura>, had 
been observed on Gornus this fall prior to this date or before the swarm- 
ing of September 15. A number of branches containing colonies were 
brought in and kept in water for the ])urpose of following their devel- 
opment. This was fortunate, as the colonies on the plants out of doors 
were almost all depopulated a few days later by predaceous insects, 
so much so that the colonies on plants near at hand and on which I 
depended for following the species out of doors utterly failed to furnish 
material for that purpose. Indoors the insects developed rapidly and 
were followed as closely as circumstances would permit. Molting in 
these occurred by the 19th, and apparently only one molt occurred 
before maturity. Only one brood was developed, these becoming sex- 
ually mature September 25. Both males and females were apterous 
and copulation took place upon the leaves and also upon the twigs, the 
females often traveling down the twigs and branches while copulation 
was in i:)rogress. In every case the females seemed to travel down the 
branches as far as possible before depositing eggs, and great numbers 
of them dropped into the water in which the branches were kept. In 
the woods I have been unable to find any eggs whatever under buds on 
twigs, and so far as the indoor observations go they differ from those 
recorded by Mr. Weed. Whether this be due to dryness, the insects 
seeking a place of some degree of moisture, can be determined by com- 
parisons under varying conditions. 

Two weeks after the swarming of winged lice in the air there was 
another swarming, though the lice were not so numerous as at the first 
time. T his swarming also followed a rain with subsequent cold. As 
in the preceding case, examination of Cornns in the woods showed nu- 
merous winged individuals starting colonies, though at this time in 
some places it was possible to find the cast skins of previous colonies, 
all of which, however, so far as I could find, had been destroyed by 
l)redaceous insects or other causes. My search for eggs in the woods 
has been futile, and it would seem that nearly all the colonies were de- 
stroyed before the maturity of the sexual individuals. I have found, 
however, oval bodies a trifle larger than the eggs, but resembling them 
at first sight, though flattened, but which prove to be a small species 
o{ Lecanium, apparently uudescribed. 

The lice occurring on the roots of grass, and which were placed in 
breeding jar the 16th, were mostly unaltered on the 19th, but in the jar 
I found a fully winged specimen, agreeing exactly, so far as could be 
seen with hand lens, in the living individual, with specimens flying and 
9,lso with those on Qornus. It was triuisf'erred to a leaf of Cornus ou 



35 

twig inserted in water, isolated from other leaves, and which had been 
carefully examined with lens to see that it was free from larvjp, and 
protected b}' cheese-cloth cover. This individual took kindly to the 
situation, remained constantly on the leaf, and produced a number of 
larvae which developed as rapidly as those brought from the woods, 
agreeing perfectly with them in every particular that I could observe, 
and proving their ability to develop on Gornus. Unfortunately their 
propensity for traveling down the twigs resulted in their being drowned 
in the water in which the twig was kept. I think, however, that their 
developing perfectly on the Cornus leaf, and the perfect agreement of 
apterous males and females so developed with those occurring normally 
on Cornus in woods, is good evidence of identity. 

In the meantime lice had been found in some numbers on the roots of 
grasses not yet dead, especially on Panicum, and many of these had 
been placed in breeding-jars in hopes of securing additional winged 
specimens. While apparently thriving they failed to acquire wings, 
but on September 24 I observed in one of the jars an apterous individ- 
ual, and directly behind it an egg evidently fresh -laid, elongate, oval, 
greenish, jjolished,^ like eggs of corni on Cornus. This was mounted 
with the apterous individual, and in the body of the latter another egg- 
was apparent. The egg was laid at the surface of the earth in the jar, 
and similar eggs were found in pill-boxes in which root-lice were con- 
fined. A close examination of roots, especially those of Panicum from 
the field, enabled me to find a number of small apterous individuals like 
the males on Cornns leaves, as well as the small apterous and oviparous 
females. These occurred with a larger form, exactly like those which 
had been observed to acquire wings, and the conclusion seemed inevi- 
table that these viviparous and apterous forms produced in the ground 
a brood of apterous males and females. These latter were observed 
attempting coition, though in no case did I see the act completed. The 
males are of an orange color, darker than the females, and differ from 
males on Cornus leaves in being shorter, and in lacking the purplish tint 
usually present in those. The females agree well with females on 
Cornus leaves, but are shorter, have six-jointed antennae, and are 
slightly lighter colored, which would be expected in individuals living 
under-ground. September 28, eggs from these root-forms were more 
numerous, and by October 3 I found them quite plenty in my jars. 
One oviparous female was observed with three eggs extruded from the 
body, adhering by the ends, and the last one still partly within the 
body. They are whitish at first, but turn yellow on exposure, and later 
turn quite dark. 

The eggs seem to be deposited at hap-hazard on surface of earth, 
sides of boxes or jars, and each female appears to produce but two or 
three eggs. 

These observations, I am free to confess, appear to complicate the 
round of life of the species, and to make the complete circle from grass 



36 

to (loj^wood aud back less clearly defined, but such a dimorpliism, if we 
may call it so, is not without parallel, and does not seem unreasonable. 
There seems reason to believe that while a large proportion of the 
pseiidogynes acquire wincfs of perfect development, aud migrate to dog- 
wood, that there is also another portion in which the wings for some rea- 
son fail to develop, aud these from necessity remain on the roots or at 
best remain near the surface of the ground, and the sexual generation 
produced by them at the same time as from the winged ones, or perhaps 
a little later develop by feeding upon grass roots, and deposit their eggs 
where they have themselves developed. As to whether these eggs are 
as successful in their further development as the ones deposited on 
Cornus remains for further observations to determine. Possibly in cer- 
tain seasons they may survive better, and thus provide a double means 
for the preservation of the species. As to the conditions which might 
affect the acquisition of wings we can do little more than speculate, but 
it seems proper to call attention to the possible elements that may fur- 
nish a solution. 

The day before the first swarming of Schizoneura (14th) had been 
very warm in the middle of the day, with a heavy §hower in the latter 
part of the afternoon, followed by a steady rain in the fore part of the 
night, and this by a sharp fall in temperature, so that the morning of 
the 15th was clear and cold (possibly a slight frost). The day remained 
cold, but was bright and sunny, and the swarming observed occurred in 
the latter part of the afternoon. Some other aphids were observed on 
the wing, but very few as compared with the swarms of corni. 8. corni 
was seen in the air on subsequent days, but comparatively scarce till, 
again two weeks later (29th), after a very similar condition of weather 
(warm, with rain, followed by cold), when another swarming occurred. 
Now, it may be that those individuals, which are at a certain stage when 
such conditions occur, are enabled to acquire wings while those less fully 
developed remain without the full expansion of these appendages. 

In comparing the two forms infesting grass roots and dogwood, re- 
spectively, I have studied great numbers of wingless individuals, 
winged forms and apterous males and females, and have come to the 
conclusion that thej- must all belong to the same species. It will, how- 
ever, be in place, I think, to place in position for comparison the differ- 
ent descriptions which have been given of the species to show that, 
notwithstanding the terms used by different authors, and their wide 
separation m time and place, there is no real discrepancy in them. The 
original description by Fabricius is very short and general, and is as 
follows (Ent. Syst., IV, p. 214, No. 19) : 

Corni. A. Corni sanguine<T. 

Habitat in Corui sauguinea^ foliis. 

Corpus nigrum abdommc basi et subtus virescente. Pedes uigri. Anus absque stylo 
et corniculis. 

Juniores pallidi macula magna, dorsali, nigra. 



37 
Passerini, in Gli Afidi (1800), describes the root form as follows : 

Scliizoiwnra reuiinUt, iii. 

Femina rivipara aptera ovata-couvexa, \»alli(li' viridis, vcl iiitciduiii rubella; capite, 
lasciis dorsalibus aufcicis tribus, macula discoidali quadrata, fasciis posticis duabus, 
puuctis<iue luargiualibus uigris. Rostrum crura media attingens. Long., V". 

Femina vivipara «/«?« capite et tborace uigris. Abdomeu viridi hiteolum vel rn- 
bellum, vittis trausversis auticis duabus, macula discoidali subrotuDda, fasciis dua- 
bus l)osticis, punctisque marglualibus nigris. Nectaria tuberculiformia uigra. Abe 
hyalime, veuis stigmateqne uigria. Long., f ", 1'". 

Nympha lutea, capite et thorace pulverulentis. 

Turmatim in ladicibns SetariiB viridia, S. glauciie, S. italica', Panici glabri, Eragros- 
tidis megastacbya^ ec Ceratocbloio australis. Autumno. 

Valde similis Schizoneurce corni, quic autem diversa dorse omniuo uigro iu apteris, 
et abdomiuaj basi et apice tantum albido iu alatis. 

Thomas gives a translation in his work on Aphida?, which reads: 
Schizoneura venusta Pass. 

Wingless female. — Ovate convex, pale green, and sometimes reddisb; bead, tbree 
anterior dorsal fasciiE, a quadrate discoidal spot, two posterior fascia^, and marginal 
points, black. Rostrum extending about to tbe middle legs. Lengtb (of body), 1""". 

Winged female. — Head and tborax black. Abdomeu, greeuisb-red or yellowisb; two 
anterior fasci;e, a subrotund discoidal 8i)ot and marginal points, black. Nectaries 
tuberculiform and black. Lengtb, f to 1""". 

Pupa, yellowish, bead and thorax pulverulent. Found on roots of Setaria viridis, 
S. glaiica, S. italica, Panicnm glahrum, Eragrostis megastachya and Ceratochloa aus- 
tralis iu autumn. 

This translation is incomplete and imperfect, especially in the dimen- 
sions, which are gi%^en as millimeters instead of lines (twelfths of an 
inch), which would lead one to suppose them about half the actual size. 
So far as I can see, Passerini's original description is entirely apjili- 
cable to the specimens obtained from roots of grasses here as well as to 
fresh specimens of corni on Cornus leaves. 

Walsh published the following descriptions (in 1863) in the Proceed- 
ings of the Entomological Society of Philadelphia, Vol. I, p. 304. 

Eriosoma'i fungicola n. sp. 

From recent specimena. Body black, with a plumb-like bloom ; basal half of abdo- 
men and whole of venter yellow. Antennae and legs black. Winga hyaline with a 
dusky tinge; veins dusky, black on the basal half of the costa; third discoidal hya- 
line nearly to its fork, stigma palish brown. Numerous individuals unaccompanied by 
larvie, occurred on a large moist fungus a liundred yards from the nearest trees, 
which were all oaks. Beat solitary individuals unaccompanied by larv;c or woolly 
matter, on two separate occasions from oaks, which, when dried, ditier only from the 
dried specimen of those found on fungus by the metathorax being varied with pale 
greenish, as well as the base of the abdomen. Length to tip of wings .12 to. 13 inch. 

The antenuib do not quite attain the base of the first discoidal when the wings are 
expanded, and the stigma is rather more than twice as long as wide. Six speci- 
mens in all. E. querciYitch. is larger (.IG inch) and is entirely black. Differs also 
from the other described United States species. 
Eriosoma? cornieola, n. sp. 

Differs from the preceding only in the body being entirely black. Numerous indi- 
viduals, uuaccomi)anied by any llocculent matter, and so far as I recollect by larvae, 
occurred in September on the lower side of the leaves of tbe Red osier dogwood. 
Ten specimens. 



38 

Dr. Thomas, in repeating tbesc descriptions in tLe"Apliidi(ia'" (Sth Re- 
port State Entomologist of Illinois, pp. 141, 142), separates the two by 
ScMzonmtra caryiv Fitch, so that "Differs from preceding only," etc., re- 
fers to caryw and not to fungicola. This circumstance is liable to mis- 
lead, unless Walsh's original descriptions are at hand for reference, and 
may account for the uncertainties that have been stated in efforts to 
determine Walsh's cornicola found ou Cornus. 

Considering that fungicola was on a fungus, a plant never known to 
support Aphides, and that the difference noted by Walsh is such as 
results from greater maturity of specimens that have located on Cornus, 
and further, that fmu/i cola agrees perfectly with both descriptions of 
corni and with fresh individuals found ou Cornus leaves, it seems prettv 
certain that these two descriptions refer to one and the same species. 

Thomas' descrijjtion of S. panicola, published in 1879 (8th Report, 
State Entom., Illinois, p. 138), is as follows, and is said to have been 

written from recent alcoholic specimens : 

« 

Winged female. — The front wiugs with the third discoidal veins once forked; third 
vein obsolete at base; first and second veins arising very near each other; stigma 
short, rounded behind ; fourth vein nearly straight; costal bent outward to the base, 
leaving a rather wide space between it and the subcostal ; antennie short, reaching 
about to the base of the fore wing ; slightly hairy ; third joint rather longer than the 
fourth and fifth united ; sixth slightly longer than the fifth, with a very short, in- 
distinct, blunt spur at the tip ; beak rather long, reaching nearly to the hind coxie, 
slightly hairy ; eyes present and of the usual size or nearly so. 

Wingless female. — (Probably not fully developed.) Very broadly ovate and very 
convex, being suborbicular; antenn;e, reaching about to the end of the thorax, rather 
thick and heavy and not tapering to apical joints, if any difference rather thicker 
than the middle ones ; third joint longest but not quite equal to the fourth and fifth 
united; fifth rather longer than the fourth, gibbous on one side at the tip ; sixth 
nearly as long as the third ; beak, long, reaching fully to the hind coxa; ; color of the 
alcoholic specimens, reddish-yellow ; eyes minute and black. 

Found on the roots of Panicum glahrum and other grasses by H. [Th. ?] Pergande 
at St. Louis, Mo., in November. 

The difi'ereuce in the length of the beak will certainlj'^ distinguish this from Tychea 
panici, even supposing the antenna? in the latter to be undeveloped. 

Mr. O. W. Oostlund,in Synopsis of the Aphidid;i? of Minnesota (Bull. 
No. 4, Geol. and Nat. Hist. Surv. of Minn.) describes both corni and 
panicola, and their identity could not be more strikingly indicated. 

S. conif. 

Head and thorax black ; abdomen reddish-black, with a large patch of velvety 
black covering all of the dorsum except three and some of the last segments. An- 
tennae reaching to the end of thorax ; not annulated, hairy, with a single row of cir- 
cular sensoria on the under side, about six to the third joint, three to the fourth, two 
to the fifth, and one at the contraction of the sixth; 111,0.30"""; IV, 0.12"""; V, 0.10'"™; 
VI, 0.15""", with the short unguis. Beak reaching third coxa. Wings hyaline, with 
slender veins; cubital obsolete at base; stigma broad and short, smoky. Honey 
tubes a circular opening almost ou a level with the abdomen. Expanse of wings, 

S. panicola. 

Head and thorax dusky or black ; abdomen pale greenish with some black mark- 
ing above, on the last segment at least. Autenu;u reaching to the end of the thorax, 



39 

hairy, third joint, the longest, the following subeqnal ; sensoria rather indistinct, 
three or lour to the third joint, and usually oiie or two to each of the following. 
Beak reaching abdomeu. Honey tubes as circular openings on level of surface of 
abdomen, but rather conspicuous from being bordered with a ring of black. Wings 
hyaline with slender but distinct veins. Fore wings with the cubital obsolete for 
some distance at base ; stigma short and broad ; stigmal vein but slightly curved near 
the base, straight. Expanse of wings, about 5""". 

Careful descriptions of the ditfereut forms on Cornus are given by Mr. 
Clarence M. Weed (Psyche, V, p. 129), the species being referred doubfe- 
fnlly to cornicola Walsh. 

Winged viviparons female {pseuclogyna pupifera). — Expanse of wings, 6"""; length 
of body, 2»>'" ; width of body, .80""" ; length of antenntv, .90""". 

Black above, except anterior and lateral margins of abdomen, and in many speci- 
mens more or less of posterior portion. Beneath black, except prothorax and abdo- 
men (save a black patch in front of anus), which are dull whitish-brown. Rostrum 
black, except a more or less distinct lighter patch near base, hairy, reaching posterior 
coxa}. Legs robust, black, except a short brownish space at base of anterior femora ; 
thickly provided with brown hairs. Autennie robust, beset with brown hairs. Joints 
I and II, short, smooth ; III, long, with row of tubercles on its outer veutro-lateral 
snrface ; IV and V subeqnal, with tubercles as on III; VI, a little longer than V, ex- 
cavated on its outer lateral surface about two-thirds distance from base. Wing veins 
mostly brown. Stigma brownish, with interior portion darker. 

Described from many siiecimens taken October 24, 1887, on leaves of Cornus sangui- 
iiea and C. stricea, where for some time previous they had been very numerous, 
founding sexed colonies. Usually occurring on the under surface. 

Apterous ?»iaZe.— Width of body, 0.50™"' ; length of body, 0.89""" ; length of auteu- 
n:e, 0.47""". 

Body and members brownish or brownish-black, with numerous brown hairs. 
Eyes black. Body flattened, long and narrow, with nearly parallel sides. Antennte 
half as long as body. Joint I, short, swollen; II, small; III, longest; IV and V, 
subeqnal ; the latter excavated on its apical lateral surface. Legs long, robust, 
same color as body. Rostrum robust, reaching anterior m.irgin of posterior coxa>. 

Described from several living specimens (part taken in copula) from Cornus sericea, 
collected October 24, 1887. 

Ovijmrous female.— Width of body, 0.50"""; length of body, 1.14'""' ; length of an- 
tenna?, 0.35""". 

Green, or greenish-brown, slightly darker anteriorly. Shape, elongate oval ; sparsely 
clothed with brown hairs. Eyes blackish. Antenn;e green, slightly darker apically ; 
ioint III longest, V slightly swollen in middle. Rostrum robust, green, darker at tip, 
reaching anterior margin of posterior coxie. Legs unicolorous with body, dusky 
apically. 

Egg.— 'Elongate oval, 0.56"'"' long, 0.20'"'" wide. 

Green at tirst, becoming black by exposure. Deposited on bark, in and about the 
axils of buds and small branches. 

Described from many specimens on Cornus sericea, October 24, 1887. 

These descriptions are so fall that I deem it unnecessary to draw up 
another. I may mention, however, that the apterous males usually 
have what I should call a purplish tint with the brownish color when 
alive, due, perhaps, entirely to the delicate bloom covering them. 

The most distinctive character of corni is perhaps the hairy antennae 
and the six or seven circular sensoria on underside of the third antenual 
joint. The number of these sensoria varies slightly, but in the form I 



40 

reared from grass roots aud allowed to colonize on Cornus leaf there are 
the full iHiniber common to corni and show distinctly. Mr. Oestlund's 
statement tiiat they are indistinct aud but three or four in number 
might, I think, apply to an extreme variation or to specimens fresh from 
the ground. The dark spot on the dorsum of the abdomen is not only 
variable in size but differs much in appearance with the age of the speci- 
men and in dead or preserved specimens. While I. am free to admit 
some puzzling questions, I am strongly convinced of tlie main point here 
claimed. There is certainly much more of interest to be learned re- 
garding the species. I feel that only a beginning has been made, and 
shall watch eagerly for further developments. As the Aphides are so 
uncertain in their appearances and can not be depended upon to fur- 
nish material in abundance in every locality, it will add to the certainty 
of completing the history of this species if entomologists in various 
localities will make such observations as possible the coming season. 

If my conclusions are correct the synonomy for this species will read 
as follows : 

(1794) A2}his corni Fabricius, Eut. Syst., IV, 214. 

(1860) Sehizoneura venusta Passeriui, Gli Afuli, p. 38. 

(1862) Eriosomni finigicola Walsb, Proo. Eiit. Soc. Phila., I, 304. 

(1862) Erio-somu? coruicola Walsh, Proc. Ent. Soc. Phila., I, 304. 

(1879) Schizoieura iuinicola Thos., 8th Kej). 111. Eut., p. 138. 

SUMMARY. 

Schizoneurre abundant on grass roots and assuming winged form in 
latter part of September (15-28) and on several days during this time the 
air was tilled with like insects, and immediately following these flights 
a])parently identical Aphides were colonizing on leaves of dogwood, 
which had hitherto been free from them. 

Sehizoneura (winged pseudogyne) reared from grass roots aud trans- 
ferred to leaves of Cornus established colouies apparently identical with 
those occurring normally on Cornus. 

Sehizoneura (apterous individuals) in some number remain on grass 
roots and are associated with apterous males and females, the females 
of which are oviparous. 

Individuals of these different forms agree with each other aud with 
descriptions of both corni and panicola and differences do not exceed 
the range of variation common to species of Aphididie. 

CONCLUSION. 

Taking all these facts into consideration, I believe that the species of 
Schisoneura infesting grass roots and dogwood leaves and described as 
distinct species are identical. 

That the winged generation of asexual individuals produced from 
grass roots in autumn migrate to leaves of dogwood of different species 
and establish colonies of ai)ter(ms individuals, which become sexually 
mature and the females of which dei)osit eggs on dogwood. 



41 

That the number of broods produced on Cornus in spring (which 
must now be interred) and the time of return migration to grass are yet 
to be determined. 

That in addition to the migratory winged autumn brood there appears 
to exist under certain couditious an apterous form which produces a 
brood of sexual individuals on grass roots the females of which deposit 
eggs the ftite of which is unknown. 

HETEROPTEKA INFESTING GRASS. 

The Chinch Bug. 

{Blissus leucopterus Say.) 

The Chinch Bug is too well known as a grass and grain pest to need 
any special mention in this connection. It may be noted, however, that 
it prefers the annual grasses rather than iierennials, and were it con- 
fined to the noxious Foxtails (Setaria) we might have no reason to 
complain, but its fondness for Hungarian grass is too conspicuous to 
pass over. It does not appear to multiply as rapidly in sod land, though 
I have found it in Blue-grass where this alone could furnish it food. 

The Long Bug. 
{Ischnodemus falicus Say.) 

Were it not for its elongated form this species could be most easily 
mistaken for the Chinch Bug, for, excepting this peculiarity, it comes 
nearer in ajipearance to the Chinch Bug than any of the numerous 
species which have been confused with that noted pest. 

Hitherto 1 believe it has not been classed among insects of economic 
importance. It is, however, quite evidently increasing in numbers in 
this region and should, I think, be mentioned, at least, in this connec- 
tion. That it is a grass-feeding insect is evidenced by its abundance in 
all stages in grass laud where other plants are scarce or wanting, and 
would be expected of an insect so closely related to the Chinch Bug. I 
have found it more common in rather low ground, and especially in the 
wild grasses between upland and bottom-land, or along the borders of 
sloughs or small streams. 

While only a fall brood of larvae, developing in July and August and 
maturing in September, have as yet been observed, it is probable that, 
as with the Chinch-Bug, there are two broods each year, adults of che 
second hibernating and depositing eggs in the spring. 

If multiplying, so as to become a serious pest, I know of no remedies 
to suggest further than those applicable to Chinch Bugs, and probably 
the most efficient one would be that of burning dead grass and rubbish 
in the fall. 

There are several other species of the Heteropterous Hemiptera, nota- 
bly certain Capsidrv such as Miris affinis and related species, and several 
species of LyguH^ which I suspect will be added to our list of grass pests,, 
but I have as yet made no careful study of their habits. 



EEPORT OF OBSERVATIONS UPON INSECTS AFFECTING 

GRAINS. 



By F. M. Webster, Special Agent. 



LETTER OP SUBMITTAL. 

La Fayette, Ind., December 14, 1889. 

Sir: I herewith transmit my annual report of observations on insects afiecting 
cereal grains, made under yonr direction, during the current year. A more elaborate 
report, treating of the destructive grain insects of the United States, to be prepared 
jointly with yourself, isuearing completion, and the preseui; report is submitted now, 
in order to avoid the necessity of including details in the more important work to 
follow. As usual, lam under many obligations for the determination of specimens 
and numberless other courtesies. 

Respectfully submitted. 

F. M. Webster. 

Prof. C. V. Riley, 

U. S. Entomologist. 



THE WHEAT STRAW WORM. 

{Ibosoma iritici Riley.) 

These insects have not been observed by me in any great numbers 
since they were last treated in my reports, and the species is only men- 
tioned in order to record the occurrence of a female of the wingless 
spring form, on the 18th of July, in a field of wheat. 

THE WHEAT STEM MAGGOT. 
{Meromyza americana Fitch.) 

Since the establishment of the fact of a summer brood originating 
during the month of August, and largely, it is supposed, in volunteer 
wheat, considerable emphasis has been placed upon the destruction of 
this illegitimate growth of grain. There has, however, been pretty 
good cause for believing that the insect developed also in other plants, 
and this season we have reared the adult from Blue grass, Poa pratensis, 
during the latter part of August. 

Since the discovery of the species there has been nothing jilaced on 
record relative to its discrimination between varieties of wheat, or 
42 



43 

wbetlier these insects really possessed any such instincts, the inference 
having' been that one variety was as acceptable to them as another. 
Bearing upon this point 1 have obtained some interesting information, 
which, though by far too slender a thread on which lo hang a positive 
assertion, yet forms sufticieut grounds for a suspicion that the species 
may possess some exceedingly fine instincts regarding plant tissue. 

In the mouth of September, 1888, a field of oat stubble on the exper- 
iment farm was subdivided, two plats each several acres in extent being- 
sown, the one to velvet chafl" and the other to Michigan Amber wheat. 
Between the two was a narrow strip comprising a mixture of both 
varieties. From the beginning of preparation of the ground to the end 
of harvest this year all conditions excepting seed were exactly the same. 

The attacks of these larvaj were quite severe during June, aud on the 
nth of this month an examination of the plats above mentioned devel- 
oped the fact that in the velvet chaff the destroyed heads outnumbered 
those in the Michigan Amber in the proportion of about four to one. 
Furthermore, the narrow strip of mixed grain intervening showed very 
much the same feature. I confess that I am unable to detect any rea- 
son for this difference in the severity of the attack other than in the 
nature of the straw ; that of the velvet chaff being under ordinary con- 
ditions a few days earlier in maturing, yet it is known among farmers 
as possessing a softer straw than the Michigan Amber, which fact pre- 
supposes the tissue of the stem immediately above the upper joint to 
be to a corresponding degree more tender and juicy at the time of ovi- 
position by the females. 

THE WESTERN STRIPED CUTWORM. 

{Agrotts herilis Grote.) 

The present year has been conspicuous for the severity of cutworm 
attacks, especially in corn-fields, the most abundant and pernicious 
species thus engaged being the one under consideration. Ordinarily 
we look for these dusky, semi subterranean destroyers in fields of re- 
cently broken grass lauds, but this season their ravages were not to be 
lijnited by any such proscribed bounds, and old lauds suffered with the 
ne\v. 

On the 28th of May I visited a field of corn a few miles out of the city 
of La Fayette, which had been nearly ruined by cutworms, notwith- 
standing the present was the seventh consecutive crop of corn which 
had been planted on this ground. In fact, so abundant were the pests, 
that from a mass of dried weeds and earth, covering a couple of square 
feet, and which had been left by the plows, I took 36 individuals, and 
a clod a few inches away concealed 5 more ; the whole number evi- 
dently belonging to the same species. 

The only apparent cause for this congregating in corn-fields, and in 
this one in jmrticular, is that during the ovipositing season last sum- 



44 

mer the grass Itiiids in this section were withering- and drying up under 
a terrible ilrought. This corn-lield liad been poorly cultivated and the 
lower portions grew up to grass and weeds, thereby forming a more 
desirable locality for the females to lay their eggs. In other words, the 
drought of August and September of 1888 drove the moths to the corn- 
fields to oviposit, and the abundance of worms this year is the result. 

The thirty-six cutworms collected on May 28 were taken home and 
immediately placed in a breeding cage, being fed upon clover during 
the few days they remained above ground. The first moth appeared 
on August 23, followed by others up to the 26th, when a medium-sized 
Anthrax was also observed in the cage. As nothing could be found in 
the literature at hand to indicate that any of the Bombyliidw had ever 
been reared from lepidopterous larva), in this country, its occurrence 
was supposed to be accidental, the larva having been in some way 
taken up with the earth in the cage. It was followed, however, on Sep- 
tember 1 by a second adult, and two more appeared on the 4th, others 
appearing up to the 9th, when all doubts as to the host of these flies 
were removed by two adults issuing from a couple of chrysalids laying 
on the surface of the soil, the Anthrax leaving their empty pupa cases 
protruding half way out from the chrysalids of the Agrotis. The flies 
may be roughly described as from 10 to 13""" in length, black, densely 
covered with fine silky hairs, those on pnpscutum and episternum of 
mesothorax, basal half of abdomen, and tuft on posterior margin of 
penultimate segment being silvery white, changing to yellowish, espe- 
cially on the shoulders. 

The same species was frequently observed, near the middle of Sep- 
tember, hovering about over the surface of the ground under trees 
recently denuded of their foliage by the larvie of Datana mlnistra. 
thereby conveying the impression that they might be parasitic ui)on 
that species also. 

As nothing whatever is known of the time and method of oviposition 
of the Bomhyliidcv, it will only be safe to say that the eggs were depos- 
ited either on or about the bodies of these cutworms prior to the 28th of 
May. 

In a most excellent paper by Dr. Riley, in the Second Report U. S. 
Entomological Commission, pp. 262-269, larvie of an allied species is 
mentioned as infesting the egg-pods of Caloptenus spretus, being found 
of different sizes during most of the year. From rearing this species, 
Systa'chus areas, O. S., Dr. Rdey concludes that, " as a rule, but one year 
is required for full development ; " but there is great irregularity and a 
tendency to retardation of such development. 

Should the species under consideration be of similar habits, the eggs 
would, as a matter of necessity, have been deposited last fall, the larva3 
wintering over in the bodies of these cutworms, which are not usually 
over half grown at the beginning of winter. If this be true it is 
certainly an interesting feature of parasitism. 



45 

TUE ARMY WORM. 

(Leticania unipmicta Haw.) 

With the rapidly iucreasiug area of low, wet lands, which are beiug- 
under-drained and brought into cultivation, the natural haunts of this 
species becomes more and more encroached upon. What the ultimate 
effect of this change of natural conditions will amount to in the future, and 
whether or not it will have a tendency to scatter the spring brood of 
moths in their selection of places of oviposition, only future years will 
answer. In accordance with the characteristic partiality of the species 
for low, damp localities, the outbreaks in Indiana this year have been 
restricted to the lower laying aad flatter portions of the State, where a 
very considerable part of the land remains undrained, except by open 
ditches. While this state of affairs has been going on, the fact that dry 
seasons are favorable to the increase of the species has been amply 
demonstrated. The last two summers have been unusually dry, and 
the spring of the present year, up to May 30, was exceedingly dry, mak- 
ing three consecutive years of drought, during all of which this pest has 
a})peared in various portions of the State, the maximum injury being 
caused the present summer. During this period, also, we have had wet 
springs and dry summers and dry springs and wet summers, proving 
conclusively that wet weather has little if any direct influence upon the 
increase or decrease of numbers. In short, it is difficult to resist the 
suspicion that this ebb and flow, so to speak, may be due more to the 
fluctuation of natural enemies than to the direct influence of meteoro- 
logical conditions, severe droughts excepted. 

In the vicinity of Princeton, Ind., where considerable damage was 
done last year, there occurred this season only one weak, aborted out- 
break, in a small field of rank growing timothy grass. A slight attack 
three years ago on the borders of a large tract of swampy land in 
the vicinity of La Porte, Ind., was not followed by others, either last 
season or this, although this year similar and more serious outbreaks 
occurred in that immediate section of the State, and within a few miles 
of the same locality. Such phenomena can not be wholly attributed to 
meteorological conditions, most certainly. The most eflQcieut parasites 
of the army-worm are two species of Tachhuv, and we have reared both 
plentifully this season. The local effects of these parasites is probably 
more lasting than we are given to suppose. A circumstance came under 
our observation recently where the attack of a similar species of Tachina 
on the larvie of Datana ministra, infesting an isolated walnut tree, was 
such that the tree has been free of the caterpillars since 1885. If the ef- 
fects are equally lasting in the case of the army- worm it will be difficult 
to foretell their appearance in dangerous localities, even in seasons sup- 
posed to be most favorable. 

Again, the secret of the power of the army- worm to destroy is in their 
massing together in endless numbers. Were it not for this they would 



46 

not be more dostructive than others of the group of cutworms to which 
they belong-. As stated in the beginning, the prevailing system of 
underdrainage has at present a tendency to emphasize this gregarious 
habit by restricting the area of wet grounds. 

Whether this will continue to be the case, or whether, after a time, 
the effect will be to break up the habit of massing into large swarms, 
and diffuse them into smaller and less destructive colonies, remains yet 
to be seen. 

The heaviest damage has this season, here in Indiana, fallen upon 
the rye crop, a state of affairs which has excited much comment among 
farmers. The reasons for this seemingly general selection of this 
crop, for depredation by the worms, are (1) on account of its hardy na- 
ture, rye is often sown on these swampy or mucky lands, as it with- 
stands the weather there better than any other crop ; and (2) by na- 
ture it is a rank grower, and, therefore, a field in spring presents to the 
female moth all the requirements of a suitable locality to place her 
eggs, viz, where her progeny will have an abundant supply of succu- 
lent food, in a damp place and shaded from the direct rays of the sun. 
In all fields of rye examined which have been ravaged by the army- 
worm, the latter were found to have originated in the fields themselves 
and had not migrated to them. Cases were not uncommon, however, 
where the worms originated in grass lands and from thence invaded 
fields of wheat and oats. 

The prospect of controlling the outbreaks of the army- worm in the 
future seems encouraging, provided the farmer is perfectly familiar 
with their habits. Much of the damage done might be prevented if 
decided measures were takeu at the start. The trouble is that too 
often the farmer wastes the most precious time in waiting to see what 
the worms are going to do, and by the time he finds out they are beyond 
control. 

So far as I have been able to learn, where a neighborhood has turned 
out en masse, and taken decisive measures to destroy the worms, little 
injury has been done. These measures have consisted in ditching 
around the infested area and either flooding the ditch with water, or 
otherwise destroying what fell into it, and driving stock over the area 
inclosed by the ditches, whereby vast numbers of worms were crushed. 
From pupa^ obtained in Fulton County the following parasites were 
reared : Ichneumon brevicinctor Say, Nemorwa leucanicc and Drymeia 
spl Ophion purgatus Say, also a parasite on Leucania, was this year 
reared from pupa of ScoUopteryx lihatrix. 

THE FALL ARMY-WORM. 

(Laphygma frugiperda Ab. aucl Sra.) 

In 1885 and again 1889, we found larva^, of this species feeding on the 
tassels and unfolding leaves of young volunteer corn, late in Septem- 
ber, in the vicinity of Jja Fayette, Ind. lu both cases we reared adult 



47 

moths from the larvae, the former appearing^ during hite October. These 
breedings would seem to indicate that at least some of the fall brood 
may winter over in the adult stage. 

A NEW CUT- WORM. 
(Luperina (Hadena) stipata Morr.) 

Ou May 28, while searching for Sphenophorus in a field of corn 
planted on recently broken prairie sod, a depredator was found which 
both in itself and method of work was new to me. Though the young 
corn was at the time several inches high, many of the plants were with- 
ering and dying, but aside from this neither the plant itself nor the 
earth about it gave the least indication of the presence or nature of the 
destroyer. Digging down in the earth about the hills, one or more of 
the shoots would be found wholly or partly eaten ofl", either near or a 
short distance above the seed, and in a single instance the seed kernel 
itself was observed being eaten. The method of attack appeared to be 
to first eat into the tender stem and then to burrow upward, after the 
manner of Gortyna iiitela, above ground, and as soon as one plant was 
consumed another was attacked, without the worm coming to the sur- 
face. The larva3 were rather slender, from half to three-fourths of an 
inch long, quite active and in general »;oloration somewhat resembling 
the larvne of Crambus seellus, but being more robust, spinning no web 
and living wholly under ground. Larvae taken from the field June 8, 
continued feeding in confinement until early in Jul}^ and the moths 
appeared in the breeding cage about the 25th of the same month. On 
account of being absent from home much of the time between the mid- 
dle of June and 20th of July, it was impossible for me to get exact 
dates. 

My own collections of larvjB were from recently broken prairie sod 
only, none being found in timothy or blue-grass sod adjoining. Farmers 
in the vicinity of this field state, however, that the worm does work in 
timothy sod, and serious damage in a fall-plowed field was attributed 
to their work. 

Under date of June 15, Mr. J. C. Besom, of Anderson. Madison County, 
Ind., wrote me that a kind of Cut-worm had appeared in his fields 
which he had never observed before. They began working on clover 
sod, about May 10, and destroyed tlie first planting of corn, and were 
at the date of writing making way with the second planting, working 
underground and eating the plants from the roots upward to the sur- 
face of the ground. 

The larvcT- are whitish, striped ou the back with brown, head and 
cervical shield yello wish. Their general form is more slender and longer 
than that of ordinary cutworms, being nearer that of Gortyna. 



48 

(Crambiis zeeUus ct Jil.) 

While natural enemies of the larvie of various species of Crambtis 
have been recorded, those attacking the adult moths are, so far as pub- 
lished recoi'd goes, rather limited in point of numbers. 

One of the probable enemies of our corn destroying CramhuH is a 
Neuropter, a Bittacus near stigmaterus. During August Mr. W. O. 
Pritz brought me an example which he had observed to attack a female 
moth, chasing her about, finally worrying her down and killing her. The 
remains of the moth when brought to me were too much mutilated to 
determine. ^ 

Mr. J. N. Latta, of Haw Patch, Ind., tells me that the moths of 
Crambus laquealellus, which I observed in abundance in his yard, were 
destroyed in great numbers by the Wood Pewee, Contopus virens L. 

THE WHITE GRUB. 

(Lachnosterna f^pj)-^) 

The present season has been marked by the most serious depreda- 
tions of these pests that has occurred for many years. Pastures, mead- 
ows, and corn-fields have suffered in some instances to the extent of 75 
per cent, of the crop. Fields this season devoted to corn, but for thirty 
years previous under cultivation, continuously producing some one of 
the cereal grains, have been very seriously damaged, large areas of the 
corn withering and dying in the hill during August and September, 
from five to twenty grubs being found in and about a single hill. As 
early as May 13, at the Experiment Station, they were destroying 
young barley growing on a plot of ground which had produced a crop 
of this grain for the six preceding years. Adjoining this plot of bar- 
ley was another which had been devoted to oats during the same pe- 
riod, but which was only slightly attacked. A precisely similar plot of 
buckwheat, which had produced the same crop for the same period, 
was found also invaded, and on July 24 the grubs were found in the 
act of cutting off the plants, now several inches in height. 

A number of experiments were made with various substances with a 
view of determining the possibility of destroying the grubs without in- 
jury to the plant infested. Corn was the plant used in these experi- 
ments, being at the time the mostconven-ient to obtain ; the substances 
used, however, had they been ever so effective, could hardly be applied 
with practical advantage by the extensive farmer. 

Experiment No. 1. — Placed a grub about the roots of a single plant on 
May 14; two days later, applied a sufficient amount of air-slaked lime 
to the surface of the ground to cover very lightly, watering thoroughly. 

Result, May 22, plant killed but the grub uninjured. 

Experiment No. 2. — Placed grub about roots of plant May 14 ; two days 
later applied table salt in solution at rate of 235 pounds per acre. 



I 



49 

Kesult, five days later, plant and grab alike uninjured. A second 
application killed the plant but not the grub. 

Experiment No. 3. — Placed grub about root of plant May 14; two days 
later applied fresh unleached ashes to surface of ground in sufficient 
quantity to cov^er lightly. 

Kesult, five days after, plant and grub alike uninjured. 

Experiment No. 4. — Single grub placed about roots of plant May 14; 
two days later applied 4 ounces gastar water. 

Kesult, next day, plant killed; grub uninjured. 

Experiment No. ^. — Single grub placed about roots of plant May 14; 
t wo da.\ s after earth about roots thoroughly saturated with tobacco water. 

Kesult, five days after, plaut and grub alike uninjured. 

Experiment No. G. — Single grub placed about roots of plant May 14 ; 
two days later applied 1 drachm Diamond soluble bone* in solution. 

Kesult, six days later, plant and grub unaffected by application ; 
grub eating off' the roots. 

Experiment No. 7. — Grub placed about roots of plant May 14 ; two 
days later ^ ounce carbon bisulphide poured in hole made in earth near 
roots and immediately refilled with earth. 

Kesult, second day after, plaut and grub both dead. 

Experiment No. 8.— Single grub placed about roots of plant May 14; 
two days after thoroughly saturated the soil with ammonial water of 
1.025 specific gravity, 2.68 percent, ammonia reduced 75 per cent. 

Kesult, three days after, plant killed but the grub was alive and active. 

Experiment No. 9.* — One grub placed about roots of plant May 22 
and one drachm of phosphate salt applied in solution to the soil about 
roots. On 23d, corn was being destroyed by the grub and the next day 
the plant was wholly eaten off while his grubship appeared uninjured. 

Experiment No. lO.t — Single grub placed about roots of plant and one 
drachm of fertilizing salt ap[)lied in solution to soil about roots. 

Kesult, two days later, plant withering, grub all right but had not fed 
from plant which soon died. 

Experiment No. 11. — Grub placed about roots of plant May 22 ; soil 
at once saturated with solution of i>owdered Pyrethrum and water ; 
1 ounce of powder to gallon of water. 

Kesult, two days later, neither plant nor grub injured. 

Experiment No. 12. — Grub placed about roots of plant May 22 ; next 
<lay the soil about the roots was drenched with decoction of Burdock 
leaves. 

"Analysis: ' Percent. 

Available phosphoric acid 13 to 15 

Insoluble phosphoric acid ^ Ito 3 

Total .- 15 to 17 

Amiuouia ,, ito 1 

T The phosphate salt and fertilizing salt used in experiments 9, 10, and 14, were sent 

to the Indiana experiment statioq by th«' manufacturer, E, S. Fitch, Bay City, Mich., 



50 

Result, two (liiys later, plaut imtoiiclied ; «;iiib active, but seemiugly 
unaffected by application. 

Experiment No. 13. — October 0, eartii in field iu the vicinity of wheat 
plants being- destroyed by white grub, thoroughly drenched with decoc- 
tion of Burdock leaves. 

Itesult of examination on October 14 : The grub was found a short 
distance from the plants uninjured, it having evidently destroyed several 
after application of liquid. 

Experiment No. 14. — October o, earth about wheat plants, being de- 
stroyed iu field by white grub, thickly covered with fertilizing salt and 
drenched with water. 

liesult of examination October 11 exactly as in the j)receding, except 
that the grub was at a greater distance from plauts. 

Up to the present time, no Dipterous parasite has been recorded as 
l)reying upon white grubs, as the subterranean habits of the pest con- 
tributes to its protection iu this respect. There is, however, pretty 
good evidence that there is at least one species of fly which exists to 
some extent in holding these grubs in check. On September 21, while 

wlio advertises both as not ouly beiug cxcelleut fertilizers, but also very destruc- 
tive to insect life, especially cbinch-bngs and cut-worms. 

Tbe following analyses were kindly made for me by Prof. Henry A. Huston, cbemist 
of Indiana experiment station: 

I. I'hosphafe salt. 

A. Qualitative analysis. 

Bases present ; Acids present: 

Calcium, Hydrochloric, 

Sodium, Sulphuric, 

Iron, trace, Carbonic, 

Aluminium, trace, Silicic, trace. 

Magnesium, trace, Phosphoric, trace. 
Organic matter, trace. 

Principal constituentK : Couimon salt, gypsum, carbonate of liuie. 

B. Per cent, phosphoric acid present, .03. 

II. Fertilizing salt. 

A. Qualitative analysis. 

Bases present : Acids present ; 

Sodium, Hydrocdiloric, 

Calcium, trace, Sulphuric, trace, 

Organic matter, trace, Silicic, trace. 
Phosphoric, slight trace. 
Chief constituent : Common salt. 

B. Quantitative analysis. 

Per cent. 

Salt(NaCl) 97.70 

Gypsum (CaSo) 44 

Insoluble matter 47 

Moisture 1. 09 

Soluble organic matter and loss 30 

Total 100.00 

Samples drawn at experiment station from full sacks, special care being taken to 
insure fair sami)les. Neither of theie samples contain an appreciable amount of 
phosphoric acid, potash, or nitrogen. 



51 

collecting" material for experiinentatioii, in a field seriously damaged by 
grubs, we fouud a hill of corn, which, though it contained iioue of the 
depredators, bore every evidence of having been destroyed by them, 
as other hills in a similar condition about it contained from 5 to 10 in- 
dividuals. Instead, however, a larva of a species ofErax,ueiivhastardij 
was found. As the larvae of Urax are known to be carnivorous, we can 
only conclude that the one found had made way with the grubs, but 
not until after the latter had destroyed the corn. 

THE VARYING ANOMALA. 

(Jnomala varians, Fabr.). 

Tho only record of this species, as a grain destroying insect occurs in 
the report of the Commissioner of Agriculture for 1884, p. -112, where 
Mr. Eugene F. Barns, of Marion, Marion County, Kans., reported the 
beetle as working serious damage to wheat in the field during the mouth 
of Juue, destroying 1,000 bushels for one farmer. 

These beetles occur generally over the State of Indiana, and we have 
frecpiently met them hovering on heads of wheat in the field, but never 
remarked any serious iujur3\ In this State the adult insects are preyed 
upon by one of the Asilidw, Laphria tergissa Say, and we have several 
times caught these flies on wing withoueof the beetles in their clutches, 
their beak puncturing the body of their victim. 

THE WHEAT WIRE-WORM. 

(Ayriotcs mancus, Say.) 

A number of experiments were made with a view of learning the 
effect of the applications of salt, as against the larvie of this species. 

The method employed was to i)lace a number of kernels of corn in 
earthen pots, and transport larvie from the fields, where they were en- 
gaged in destroying wheat, placiug them among the corn in these pots, 
the salt being applied in different quantities to the surface of the ground. 

Experiment Ko. 1. — April 20, six kernels of corn, and two wire-worms 
nearly full grown, were placed together in a pot filled with earth, the 
latter being saturated with water from beneath. Common barrel salt 
was then applied to the surface of the soil, at the rate of 940 pounds 
to the acre. May 1, watered from above. 

Result, the pot was examined May 7, and both worms found unaf- 
fected, they having in the meantime eaten nearly all of the corn, the 
uninjured kernels failing to germinate. 

Experiment No. 2. — This was made at the same time as No. 1, all con- 
ditions being the same, except that salt was applied at the rate of 470 
pounds per acre. 

Result the same as in experiment No. 1. 

Experiment No. 3. — May 7, placed three of the larva*, used in the pre- 
ceding experiments and one fresh from the field, with corn in pot of 
earth, saturating the latter from below, and covering surface with salt 
iu the proportion of 24,500 pounds per acre, 



62 

Ke.siilt five duys later; the worms were alive and a« active as they 
ever were. Corn slightly eaten, bnt none showing' any indication of 
growing, while kernels from same ear planted in uusalted soil were 
sprouted. The corn used in all experiments was from the same ear. 

DrastertKS degans Fab. 

The larva of this species has been mentioned in my previous reports 
as destroying other insects, aud themselves injuring young corn. In 
the present instance they were found exceedingly abundant, on Novem- 
ber 15, near New Castle, Ind., where they were evidently working seri, 
ous injury to a held of young wheat, sown in growing corn about Sep- 
tember 5. This held had produced three consecutive crops of wheat- 
then the present crop of corn, among which the young wlieat was grow- 
ing. It was true the wheat was seriously infested by Hessian Hy, and 
therefore the question may arise as to whether the worms were not de- 
stroying these; but the damage to the field was by far too great to 
have been done by the fly alone, aud many of the plants had been eaten 
off below the ground. 

With this new revelation regarding their food habits, it seems prob- 
able that a part of the wire- worm injuries to wheat sown amoug corn 
may be due to this species, instead of the preceding. 

THE TWELVE-SPOTTED DIABROTICA. 

(Diahrotica Vi-pnvctata.) 

The adults of this species have been observed in greater abundance 
than ever before. Gardens and fields have been literally overrun with 
them. The sexes were observed pairing as early as the 17th of April, 
thereby promising larvie sufdciently early to attack young corn, even 
though planted at the usual time. The list of food plants has this sea- 
son been observed to include the following, uot previously reported: 
Wheat, cabbage, cauliflower, aud beaus; an adult was also observed 
feeding on volunteer oats December 14. 

THE SWAMP SPHENOPHORUS. 

{Sphcnojjhorus ochreus Lcc.) 

Few insects afford a better illustration of the fact that a comparatively 
harmless species may, by force of circumstances, suddenly become ex- 
tremely injurious. Known to the entomologist since 1858, aiul by no 
means a rare insect, its habits unstudied because of its secluded haunts 
and valueless food plant, the species appears to have been overtaken by 
this progressive decade in agriculture. 

The swamp composing the field wdiich formed the basis of the study 
of this insect was broken up some thirty years ago aud two crops of 
corn raised on it without damage from insect attack, after which, by 
reason of being too wet, it was allowed to revert back to its original 
state. Fifteen years ago ii second attempt was uuide to bring it into 
cultivation, and a single crop of corn raised from a portion of it, this 

|iime tlie insects beiug uoticedj but dolug uo ujateriivl i^jmy. Tho Imd 



53 



was ngain allowed to go back to its primitive state, and remained thus 
until last season, when, after being draiiUHl, a portion was broken and the 
remainder brought into cultivation the spring of the present year, with 
the results here given. 

Other fields of swamp land, in the same neighborhood, have suffered 
in the same manner as this one, but there is at present no information 
of serious damage until within the last three or four years. 

The first i)ublished notice of the destructive habits of these insects is 
found in a brief notice which appeared in several agricultural papers 
during July, 1888, to the effect that Professor 
Forbes had found them to be very destructive 
to corn planted on recently drained swamp 
lands in Illinois, the adult feeding upon a spe- 
cies of rush (Sciiyns) and a common reed {Phxtg 
inites), and when these were destroyed they 
transferred their attention to the young corn. 

On May 23, adult beetles were 



\ 




>^' 




Fir,. \. — Sphenophorus oehreus: a. l.arv.a; b, adult — 
enlarged (after Riley.) 



sent me by Mr. Quincy Earl, a far- 
mer residing near Dayton, Ind., a 
small village about 8 miles from 
La Fayette, with the statement 
that they were destroying his corn. 

The beetles were at once con- 
fined with corn plants growing in 
rtower pots, the males proceeding 
to bury their snouts into the ten- 
der stems, near the surface of the 
soil; but the females, to m^- utter astonishment, burrowed do^^n into 
the earth, out of sight, and staid there. 

Stormy weather prevented my visiting the locality until June 2. The 
infested field comprised about 75 acres of recently drained swampland, 
plowed the present spring, except a small portion which had been de- 
voted to corn the previous year, and the first and second planting de- 
stroyed by the beetles. On that portion of the field plowe<l this spring 
the young corn was not yet up, but on that portion which had been cul- 
tivated last year and planted ea^'lier this year than the newer-plowed 
portion, the young plants had been totally destroyed, the lack of their 
natural food having evidently driven the insects to this part of the field, 
as other fields in the vicinity had not suffered the second year after the 
ground was first broken, although the first crop had been destroyed. 
At the time of my visit the beetles were feeding on a species of rush, 
Scirpus atrorirens, Muhl., i)uncturing the stems just below the surface 
of the ground and eating out the tender, folded leaves. The sexes were 
pairing, but I could set no eggs. A large number of adults of both 
sexes were taken home, as also were specimens of the Scirpu.s, including 
tlie roots, which are bulbous and exceedingly hard and compact. These 
plants were placed in flower-pots, and on each was placed a single pair 



54 



of adults. Tho next day the males were engaged either in pairing or 
feeding upon the Scirpus, but the females, when not i)aired with the 
males, had burrowed down into the earth, out of sight. 

On a second visit to the infested field, June 11, but few females were 
to be found above ground. The young corn was coming up well, but 
being rapidly destroyed by the males and a few females, except where 
Scirpus was growing in sufficient abundance to provide an ample sup- 
ply of food. 

Absence from home, from the middle of June until the middle of July, 
not only interrupted my observations, but a press of other work pre- 
vented my visiting the field again until August 21, both plants and 
beetles in pots having in the mean time died. 

As a result of this last visit I found two adults, one of which was feed- 
ing on a small dwarfed stalk of corn and the other on Scirpus atrovirens. 

An examination of the root of this reed re- 
vealed full-grown larva:> (Fig. 1, a) and fully 
developed adults still within the bulbs. Other 
bulbous roots of the same plant gave evi- 
dence that the adult had only recently quitted 
its birthplace. Hurrying home, my plants in 
the flower pots, long ago dead, dried up and, 
as I thought, worthless, were examined and 
in nearly every one was found a fully devel- 
oped adult, none of which had escaped from 
the bulbous roots wherein they had devel- 
oped. (Fig. 2.) 

Still another visit to this field on August 
30 confirmed all previous observations, and 
a single pupa was also found in a bulb of the 
Scirjms. 

From what is known of the habits of other 
species of this genus, coupled with the fact 
that fields of corn are not attacked by the 
beetles after the first year following the 
breaking of the ground, it Seems highly im- 
probable that there should be more than one annual brood. This being 
the case, its life history will likely be as follows: The insect hibernates 
in the adult stage, coming forth from its hiding places in spring, the 
females depositing their eggs during May and June in the roots of 
Scirpus. The larva' hatching from these develop to adults and emerge 
in about three months. 

From the vast differences existing between the plant in which the 
species breeds and that of the corn plant, the great imi)robability of 
the insect ever breeding in corn will at once be seen. The whole prob- 
lem of prevention seems to settle in the destruction of these reeds, 
root :ind stem, the season prior to devoting the ground to corn. The 
eggs are as a ride deposited in bulbs fornuMl th(^ preceding year, and 




i 

Fir,. 2. — Work of Sphenophorns 
ochrcns in roots of Scirpvs—nni- 
inal sizo (after Eiloy). 



55 

we have found healthy adults in bulbs after the latter had been thrown 
out by the plow and lain in the sun for over a month. We have also 
found them developing in bulbs in ground plowed in May and again 
in July, indicating that little or nothing can be accomplished by sum 
mer fallow. 

The most practical and probably the most effective method of destroy- 
ing the food plant of the pest is to sow rye or some other crop on the 
land the tirst season after breaking, 

THE CHINCH BUG. 
{Blissiis lencopterus Say.) 
The history and distribution of the Chinch Bug in Indiana offers 
some problems not only very perplexing but exceedingly difHcult to 
solve. In fact, we shall here make no attempt toward a solution, but 
rather to separate a few of the many comi^lex elements which are 
thought to influence the distribution and numbers of the pest, and to 
some extent at least indicate how far they may be considered or per- 
haps eliminated entirely from any independent relation to the subject, 
thereby affording aid to the future investigator. 

It is well known that although Thomas Say, at the time he described 
the species, was residing at IMew Harmony, Indiana, nevertheless his 
description was drawn from a single specimen taken by himself on the 
Eastern Shore of Virginia, and so far as we know he may have died 
ignorant of its occurrence in his own or any of the adjoining States. 

Recently, Professor Forbes has collected some data showing that the 
species was destructively abundant in Edwards County, Illinois, as 
early as 1828, and was also observed in Richland County in 1823. 

Strictly in accordance with the above, while that portion of Illinois 
lying adjacent to Indiana, separated only by the Wabash River, has 
suffered again and again through the ravages of the Chinch Bug, crops 
on the Indiana side have not often suffered from any extensive or wide- 
spread ravages of the pest. Not only this, but at the present time the 
worst infested jjortion of Indiana is composed of those counties whose 
western border is the Wabash River, which separates them from Illi- 
nois, and from whence the insect occurs in continually diminishing 
numbers northward and eastward until we reach the northern coun- 
ties of La Porte, St. Joseph, Elkhart, La Grange and Steuben, where its 
depredations are almost entirely unknown.* Indeed, during the years 
when they are the most numerous elsewhere, I have found them in these 
counties only with difficulty, and few of the farmers know what the 
insect Is like. In almost exactly the same latitude in De Kalb County, 
Illinois, within 00 miles of Lake Michigan, they have l)een a serious 
pest since 1855. 

* The only exception known to me wjis in Elkhart County, where they were re- 
ported to Mr. J. R. Dodge, Statistician of the Department of Agriculture in 1887. 
(See Bull. 17, U. S. Dept. Agri., Div. Ent.,p 9.) Mr. Dodge has very kindly looked 
up thin matter, and writes me that these hugs were only reported from one locality in 
very limited uumhers and did no appreciable damage. — F. M. W. 



.56 

A line drawn from the northwestern corner of Indiana diaj^onally 
across the State to the Ohio line, at the southeast corner of Jay County, 
will divide from the remainder of the State nearly all of twenty-four 
counties over which the Chinch Bug is either unknown or occurs in too 
limited numbers to cause serious damage. These are the counties enu- 
merated in Tables A and B. As the numbers of counties from which I 
have information of serious and wide-spread damage does not amount 
to twenty four, I have added others, in which we have observed con- 
siderable numbers of Chinch Bugs, and filled out the number with coun- 
ties situated in the infested district. These are enumerated in Tables 
C and D. 



Taui.e a. — Acreage of various grains produced in 1887 througliouf the area over which 
Chinch Bugs do not occur in destructive numbers. 



Comities. 



Ailanis 

Allen 

Blackford .. 
DeKalb.... 
Elkhart .... 

Fulton 

Grant 

Huntington 

Jay 

Kosciusko . 
La Grange.. 

Lake 

La Porte 

Mar.Hhall ... 

Miami 

Noble 

Porter 

Pulaski 

Starke 

Steuben 

St. Joseph.. 

Wabash 

Wells 

Whitley.... 



Wheat. 



Oats. 



9, 142 , 

25, (iK7 
2,544 

i:i, 390 
15, 207 
5,684 
5, 455 

10, 693 

8, 76« 
13,274 

9,818 

26, 690 

15, 051 
10, 145 

7,919 
12, 345 

16, 365 
7, 828 
2.916 

9, 253 

1 1, 482 
8,391 
6,190 
9,727 







Total 




E.xcaiss 

of .small 

giaiuover 

corn. 


Rye. 


Barley. 


small 
grain. 


Corn. 


255 


35 


36, 368 


30, 257 


+ 6, HI 


2, Oti.> 


101 


76, 215 


42, 004 


+34,211 


196 


41 


15, 324 


16,000 


- 676 


211 


157 


43, 855 


22, 135 


+ 21, 720 


705 


90 


60, 898 


35, 145 


-f 25, 753 


390 


35 


36. Oi2 


25, 827 


+ 10,185 


347 


147 


48, one 


49, :i25 


- 1, 199 


800 


195 


46, 576 


38, 145 


+ 8,431 


275 


145 


38, 774 


39, 656 


- 882 


240 


162 


55, 944 


40, 065 


+ 15,879 


873 


37 


47, 631 


28, 292 


+ 19,339 


1,284 


275 


31,057 


30, 637 


+ 420 


802 


335 


60, 095 


39, 690 


+20, 405 


1, 244 


186 


47, 637 


33, 238 


-f 14, 399 


139 


168 


52, 438 


42,301 


+ 10,137 


120 


44 


.51, 306 


29, 452 


+21, 854 


1,026 


236 


32, 939 


21, 042 


+ 11,897 


1,570 


394 


29, 059 


23, 686 


+ 6,373 


1, 657 


298 


8, 462 


7,911 


+ 551 


219 


310 


37, 196 


22, 200 


+14, 996 


440 


30 


53, 477 


30, 698 


+22, 779 


115 


149 


49,764 


45, 638 


+ 4, 126 


572 


54 


39,123 


39, 322 


— 199 


95 


45 


35, 500 


24, 753 


+ 10,747 



Table B.- 



-Acreage of various grains produced in 1888 throughout the area over which 
Chinch Bugs do not occur irt destructive numbers. 



Adams 

Allen 

Blackford .. 
De Kalb.--- 
Elkhart ..-. 

Fulton 

(irant 

Miiutingtou 
.Jay ... 
Kosciusko. . 
Lagrange .. 

Lake 

La Porte . . . 
Marshall . .. 

Miami 

Noble 

Porter 

Pulaski 

Starke 

Steuben 

St.Jdseph.. 
Wabash .... 

Wells 

Whitley 



23, 130 


16,818 


249 


50, 469 


27, 228 


1,895 


11,057 


3,280 


253 


28, 145 


14, 249 


138 


43,818 


14, 783 


1,013 


33, 976 


6, 3U6 


267 


38, 808 


5, 593 


316 


32, 639 


10, 990 


218 


2.5, 433 


9, 666 


311 


39, 878 


14, 201 


334 


33, 540 


10, 2S5 


750 


3,874 


21,026 


1, 330 


40, 642 


18, 033 


772 


33,187 


11, 095 


1,449 


44, 250 


8, 160 


126 


37, 983 


14, 33() 


217 


16, 648 


17, 428 


1, 593 


17, 007 


3, 407 


1, 633 


3, 96£ 


3. 476 


1, (i96 


2.5, 944 


10, 288 


310 


37, 602 


12,170 


642 


40, 202 


9,892 


183 


28, 437 


8, 352 


611 


21,789 


10,647 


65 



51 


40, 248 


172 


78, 764 


140 


14, 730 


169 


42, 701 


78 


59, 692 


12 


40, 561 


201 


44,918 


186 


44, 033 


it;o 


3.5, 570 


135 


m,5iS 


55 


44, 630 


221 


20, 461 


787 


60, 234 


271 


46,012 


188 


52, 724 


44 


52, 580 


213 


35, 882 


282 


29, 339 


237 


9, 374 


317 


36, 859 


714 


51,128 


73 


50, 350 


147 


37, 547 


39 


32, 540 



31,417 

43, 775 
16,633 
25, 474 
36, 663 

29, 795 
48, 581 
40,218 

40, 750 

41, 025 

30, 252 
29,510 

41, 345 
37, 134 

42, 743 
29,915 
27, 863 
26, 232 

8, 633 
21,373 
29, 343 

44, 080 
38, 009 
23, 503 



+8, 831 

+ 34, 989 

-1,903 

+ 17,227 

+23, 029 

+10, 766 

-^3, 063 

+3. 815 

-5, 180 

+13, 5-J3 

+14, 378 

—3, 049 

+ 18,889 

+8, 878 

+ 9,9X1 

+22 665 

+8, 019 

+3, 097 

+ 741 

+ 1.5,486 

+21, 785 

+6, 270 

—462 

+9, 037 



57 

Taiu.io C. — Acreage of rarioits f/rahis produced in 1887 throiKjhoiit the area over tchich 
Chinch llitfjs occur sonuiimen in destructive nnmhens. 



Counties. 



Hen ton 

Clay* 

Cmwford* 

Daviess 

Dubois* 

Gibson' 

Given 

Jackson 

Knox* 

Lawrence ... 

Martin 

Monroe 

Oniiifte 

Owen 

Parke 

Pike 

I'osey* 

Putnam 

Sullivan*. . .. 
Tijipccanot'.. 
ViMinilliou . . 

Vigo 

Warrick* 

Washington* 



Wheat. 



Oats. 



35, r)29 
9, 9ti3 
9, :iS9 

10, 57.5 

10, 950 
5,740 

11,930 

14, 733 
6, 42(5 

14, 395 
7,760 
9, 399 

17, 708 
9, 705 
9, 42(i 
9, (180 
6,600 
7,613 

10, 059 

14, C57 
6,7:^4 

13, 090 
9,609 

19, 028 



Kye. 


Barley. 


390 


125 


160 


211 


25 
340 




42 


20 


87 


386 


31 


239 


178 


297 


45 


207 


68 


136 


51 


130 


191 


35 


40 


84 


90 


91 


20 


297 


60 


83 


107 


120 


47 


117 


90 1 


820 


55 1 


544 


120 ' 


352 


98 


694 


217 


02 


40 


77 


68 



Other 
small 
grain. 



38, 036 
32, 944 
16, 9.'7 
51, 143 
3.5, .584 
78, 070 
37, 290 

42, 659 
5,5, 184 
20, (105 

23, 833 
18, 979 
30, 210 

24, 159 

43, 617 
44,968 
67, 669 
41, 370 
44, 564 
64, 660 
37, 448 
49, 745 

39, 799 
36,418 



Corn. 



71,714 
26, 447 
15, 491 
39, 472 
2l', 042 
45, l(i8 
34, 141 
42, 033 
47, 331 

25, 228 
21, 493 
10, 402 

26, 836 
16.910 
39, 751 
30, 095 
38, 979 
37, 006 
44, 109 
79, 497 
35, .549 
50, Of<2 
33,171 
30, 206 



E.Kcess 
of small 

grain 
over corn. 



—33, 678 

+0,497 

+ 1,436 

+ 11,671 

+ 13, .542 

+33, 562 

+3, 149 

+20 

+7, 8.53 

+777 

+2, 440 

+2, 517 

+3, 374 

+7, 249 

+3, 806 

+ 14,873 

+28, 690 

+4, 304 

+455 

-14, 837 

+ 1,899 

—337 

+6, 628 

+0, 212 



Taislr D.- 



-Acreage of rnrioiis grains produced in 1888 throughout the area, over which 
Chinch Bugs occur sometimes in destructive numbers. 



Benton 

Clay* 

Crawford*.. 

Daviess 

.Dubois* 

Gibson* 

Green 

Jackson 

Jvnox.* 

Lawrence .. 

Martin 

Monroe 

Orani^o 

Oweu 

Pai-ke 

Pike 

Posey* 

Putnam 

Sullivan*. .. 
Tippecanoe 
Vermillion . 

Vigo 

Warrick* . . . 
Washington 



2, 470 


36, 801 


372 


81 


22, 130 


10, 720 


178 


150 


9, 527 


7,216 


13 


10 


39, 049 


11,194 


280 


75 


20, 414 


10, 168 


48 


128 


68, 640 


5, 606 


466 


116 


30, 902 


12, 627 


253 


84 


27, 425 


14, 135 


2;)4 


34 


47, 798 


6,869 


222 


163 


10, 559 


14, 392 


208 


79 


14, 4!)0 


8,797 


124 


126 


10, 147 


8, 500 


64 


22 


13, 440 


1,5, 246 


94 


78 


13, 329 


10, 402 


82 


43 


33, 523 


9,718 


256 


,57 


30, 934 


10, 154 


54 


106 


59, 006 


7, 465 


108 


39 


32, 139 


8,194 


131 


74 


29, 377 


11,279 


798 


68 


53, 000 


15, 313 


570 


129 


29, 985 


7,710 


439 


76 


30, 157 


14, 327 


557 


203 


30, 562 


10, 191 


144 


57 


18, 465 


19. 922 


39 


46 



39, 724 


84, 751 


33, 184 


28, 100 


16,766 


14, 502 


50, 598 


39, 259 


36, 758 


22, 799 


74, 828 


48, 280 


43, 926 


35, 745 


41,848 


43, 007 


5,5, 058 


54, 001 


25, 238 


31, 606 


23, 497 


20, 928 


18, 733 


16,241 


28, 804 


25, 400 


23, 856 


17, 422 


43, 554 


44,771 


41, 248 


32, 002 


00, 018 


4(i, 711 


40, 538 


39, 358 


41, 522 


45, 8(18 


69, 012 


82,611 


38, 210 


3.5, 444 


51,244 


.52, 084 


40, 954 


34, 589 


38, 472 


34, 911 



—45, 027 

+5, 084 

+2, 264 

+ 11,339 

+ 13,959 

+26, 548 

+8,181 

-1,159 

+ 1,051 

-6, 328 

+2, 569 

+2, 492 

+3, 4;-^8 

+6, 434 

-1,217 

+9, 186 

+ 19,907 

+ 1,180 

-4, 286 

-13, .599 

+2, 706 

—840 

+6, 305 

+3, 561 



* Counties marked with asterisk (*) are those in which Chinch Bugs have been reported in destruct- 
ive numbers. 



Much has been said of late of the influence which the cultivation of 
wheat and other grains has on the numbers and distribution of the 
Chinch ling. Tables A, B, 0, and D, here given show the acreage of 
each of the cereal grains in forty-eight counties for the years 1887 and 
18SS. It will be observed that among the uninfested counties there are 
but four which had a greater area of small grain than of corn in 1887 
and in 1888. In 1887, in eleven of these same counties, the area of 
wheat exceeded that of corn, in six of which counties the Chinch Bug 



58 

is iinlicanl of. Practically the same state of affairs existed in 1888, 
both as to croi> and biij^s. In the twelve connties more or less infested 
with bugs in 1887, four had a larger area of corn than of small grain, 
and all but seven showed a greater area of corn than wheat. In 1888 
only three had a greater area devoted to wheat than corn, and si.xhada 
greater area of corn than of small grains. It will be observed that Sul- 
livan County, which probably suffers from Chinch Bug injury as bad as 
any portion of the Stnte, is one of these. It appears therefore that the 
nature of the crop has of itself nothing to do with the distribution of 
the Chinch Bug in Indiana. 

Tarlk E. — Total amount, in inchcn and tenths, of prccipitalhni anil mean ttmperature, in 
deiirrcx and tcnthfi, a.i Princeton, GiJ)non Connl>i, Ind., latilnde IW- 21V X., dnring the 
months of April, May, and June, for the jj ears 1B85, 188(;, 1887, 1888, and 1881). 





April. 


May. 


June. 


Tear. 


Precipi- 
tation. 


Torapora- 
ture. 


Precipi- 
tation. 


Te"-.pera- 
tnre. 


Precipi- 
tation. 


Tempera- 
ture. 


1885 


3.70 
3. 50 

2.;io 

1. ,50 
.80 


53.5 
55.3 
53.2 
55.3 
55.2 


2 30 
2.10 
0.10 
1.95 
4.40 


61.5 
66.1 
08.0 
03.5 
64.4 


5.90 
4.90 
.10 
2.50 
3.60 


71.9 


1K86 


71.3 


1887 


74.3 


1888 


70.7 


1889 


70.7 







Table F. — Total amount, in inches and tenths, of jrrecipitation and. mean temperature, in 
deqrei's and tenths, at Angola, Steuhen County, Ind., latitude 41" :57' N., during the 
months of April, May, and June, for the years 1885, 188(;, 1887, 1888, and 1889. 



1885 


4.35 
2.77 
1. 12 
1.01 
1.19 


45.6 
52.5 
45.2 
46.5 
49.2 


6.95 
3.49 
1.95 
3.75 
5.25 


56.9 
63.5 
70.8 
61.9 

01.4 


4.32 
4.16 
5.24 
5.10 
3. 50 


60.9 


1886 


67.2 


1887 


71.2 


IJ^SS 


70.6 


1889 


68.5 







Taiu.e G. — Total amount, in inches and, t(nths, of precipitation and mean temperattire, in 
degrees and tenths, at Sandwich, l)c Kaib County, III., latitude Al"- '.iV M., during the 
months of April, May, and June of the years 1885, 1881), 1887, 1888, and 1889. 



18S5 


2.40 
1.35 
.57 
1.70 
3.15 


46.71 
5(i. 40 
53.12 
49. 84 
52.03 


1.30 
3. 00 
1.87 
5.14 
3.08 


58.05 
04. 70 
68. 55 
58. 72 
61.71 


2.94 

1.28 
1.77 
2.76 
5.40 


68.95 


1880. 


68.82 


1887 


75.07 


1888 

1889 


72. 48 
68. 62 







Neither can this unequal distribution be attributed to the interspersion 
of limber lauds among the cultivated fields, as the northern and south- 
ern i^ortions are about equally wooded, and, besides, the treeless 
prairies of the State are not particularly subject to invasions of Chinch- 
bugs. Low temperature can hardly be held responsible for the phe- 
nomenon, as the ravages in more northern localities like Nebraska, 
northern Iowa, and in Minnesota will attest. Coming northward from 
the Ohio River, during the season of drought which has occurred each 
year since 1880, one can not help but admit that the effects of dry 



59 

weatlior aro <xreatost in the southern portion of the State. Bnt the dif- 
ference between this weather condition is certainly not so marked be- 
tween Tippecanoe and IJenton Counties on the one hand, and La Porte 
and Lagrange Counties on the other, as to result in a difference in the 
number of bugs amour^ting to that between a great abundance and 
almost none at all. In Tables E, F, and G are given the mean tempera- 
ture and rain-fall for the months during which these elements most 
affect the Chinch Bug, and extending over a period of five years.* This is 
as far back as the Indiana records extend. The records from Princeton, 
Ind., indicate the meterological conditions during this period in the bug 
infested area, and those from Angola are a like record of the weather 
conditions in the region exempt from Chinch Bug attack, while Table G 
gives the meterological conditions in De Kalb County, northern Illinois, 
whereChinchBugshavebeenabundantsince 1855, formerly doing serious 
damage to spring wheat, and have, since about 1SG2 (wheat of any sort 
being no longer grown to any extent), been transferring their attention 
to the corn crop, but being at present less abundant than in south- 
eastern Indiana or southern Illinois. 

From a study of the tables giv^en it will be seen that while the 
northern Illinois locality had a less rain Ml during the spring and early 
summer than the northern portion of Indiana, it also had a less amount 
than had southern Indiana; yet, while Chinch Bugs are more numerous 
in the Illinois section than in northern Indiana, they are not so abund- 
ant as in southern Indiana. 

Geologically, the northern portion of Indiana differs from the south- 
eastern portion, the former being Devonian and the latter carbonifer- 
ous or subcarboniferous. This, however, could have little effect on the 
Chinch Bug, except, possibly, so far as it influenced the natural flora, 
especially the grasses. Prof. James Troop, who has made the grasses 
of Indiana a study, informs me that the following are all, or nearly all, 
the species found in the southern portion of the State which do not 
occur in the northern portion : Uniola latifoUa, Arundinaria iecta., Pas- 
pal urn flu i tans, P. Uvve, Panicmn prolificunij P. anceps, P. vicidum^ Andro- 
pogon divisitiflorus. 

From the foregoing it will be seen that to no one of these elements 
alone, as existing between southwestern Indiana and Illinois on the 
one hand, and northeastern Indiana, southern Michigan, and northern 
Ohio on the other, can this immunity from Chinch Bugs in these last 
localities be traced. Whether the combination of two of these elements, 
such as dry weather and wheat growing, is to be held wholly responsi- 
ble, or whether there is still another potent element, as yet unknown 
to us, which, either in itself or combined with some other, is the prime 
cause of the present state of affairs, only future studies can demonstrate. 

* Kindly supplied nie by N. E. Ballon, M. D., Pb. D., Sandwich, 111., for thirty years 
volnutecr .signal observer at that place. — F. M. W. 



60 

That dry weather dnriiigf spring and early summer is almost invaria- 
bly associated with an increase, and wet weather during the same 
jieriod with a decrease of Chinch lUigs is usually true, but why this is 
so has never been definitely exi)lained. 

The fungoid disease known as Entomophthora has, since it was studied 
by Dr. Shimer, been known to be much more fatal in wet than in dry 
weather. How far this would prove true, and to what extent the 
farmer could rely ui^on this fungus to keep the Chinch Bug in check, 
gave the incentive for carrying out the following experiments. 

Early in July, 1888, a large number of Chinch Bugs, principally pup.ie 
nearing the last molt, were placed m a close glass vessel and kept in a 
very damp atmosphere and under high temperature. Although kei)t 
for two weeks under these conditions we failed to produce the Entomoph- 
tJtora among them. This was accepted as evidence that the fungus did 
not exist in any stage of development here at La Fayeite, Ind., although 
it was reported from an adjoining State. 

On July 20, of the present year, we received some dead chinch bugs 
from Prof. F. IJ. Snow, of Lawrence, Kans., which were said to be af- 
fected by Entomophtliora. These diseased bugs were placed under glass 
with living ones from the fields, the latter being provided with food and 
kept thus confined for fifty-three hours, when the major portion of them 
were placed on several hills of corn, seriously infested by bugs, the 
remainder with the dried remains received from Professor Snow being 
scattered about over a small area of young wheat sown for experiment, 
and also swarming with young Chinch Bugs. The hills of corn on which 
the bugs had been placed were isolated from others, equally badly in- 
fested, by narrow frames of boards placed on the ground, and the upper 
edges covered with tar. This last precaution was taken in order to pre- 
vent communication with other hills, intended as checks on those used 
directly in the experiment. The area of young wheat over which infested 
bugs had been placed was not inclosed, but its limits carefuUjMnarked. 
Five days after, July 27, a single bug was found on one of the isolated 
hills of corn which had very evidently died from the eii'ectn of Entomo2>h- 
thora, and by the 30th enough others were found to show that the fungus 
had fully established itself, and the barriers about the isolated hills were 
removed, Ou August 2, dead bugs covered with Etitomophthora were 
found in considerable numbers about hills of corn, 25 feet from where tlie 
original colonies had been placed, and also throughout and even 55 feet 
beyond the area of young wheat over which dead and afiected bugs 
had been distributed. Daily observations were now made, but the pro- 
gress of the disease seemed to come to a stand-still. From the 5th of 
August up to the 0th it was almost impossible to get sufficient material, 
outside, to enable me to carry on laboratory experiments. August 13, 
the spread of Entomophthora appeared to liave taken on new life, and dis- 
eased bugs were becoming much more numerous. August 15, found 
diseased bugs 172 feet from any i)liice where tliey had been previously 
observed. August 20, diseased bugs were very abundant over all of 



61 



the area where disease liad been distributed, aud two days later exam- 
ples were found a (juarter of a mile from the starting' poiut of the dis- 
ease. Immediately after this, however, another halt, both in the in- 
tensity of attack and rapidity with which it spread, due either to the dry 
weather, or to the fact that the bugs had now all reached the adult 
stage, and had become diffused over the country, no longer congregat- 
ing together. From either one or the other, or both of these causes, 1 
lost track of the Entomophthora and was not able to again find it in the 
fields. It seems proper to state here that Chinch Bugs were not at any 
time excessively abundant. The greatest numbers were in the exact 
localities where the disease was first distributed, the congregating at 
these places being brought about by the close proximity to a large num- 
ber of small experimental plats of wheat, and when this was harvested 
the bugs collected en masse on the corn and young wheat. In connec- 
tion with these facts, it is also interesting to note that from July 15 to 
August 31 there were ten days on which rain fell. The dates of these 
rains aud the amount of precipitation is given below : 



Date. 



July 17 
19 
22 
23 
26 



Precipi- 
tation. 



Inches. 
.02 
1.25 
.20 
.04 
.13 



Date. 



Jaly 29 
30 

Aug. 9 
13 
14 



Precipi- 
tation. 



Inches. 
.78 
.50 
3.30 
.15 
.02 



With a view of learning whether or not there was any difference as 
regards susceptibility to the attack of Untomophthora, between bugs in 
different stages of development, a series of experiments was begun, as 
follows: 

Young plants of Setaria glauca were transplanted to a box, and upon 
each plant was placed a dead bug covered with the fungus, and also 
healthy larvje ; larvicjust on the point of pupation; pupicjust prior to 
reaching the adult stage; and fully developed adults, each stage being 
placed on separate plants and each covered with a small inverted glass 
vial numbered by lettering. As checks, another series was prepared 
like the first in every particular. The soil in the box was kept well 
moistened, and the plants remained fresh. This experiment was made 
on August 2, about the time when the attack outside began to diminish 
in intensity. The following are the results of examinations on the 
dates indicated, the original experiments being numbered by capitals, 
and the checks by small letters, thus — A-a, adult: B-b, young larvie ; 
C-c, older larvse ; D-d, pupae. 



Date. 1 A. 


a. 


B. 


b. 


C. 


c. 


D. 


d. 


Aug. 5 Healthy .. 
Aug. 6 1 dead ... 
Aug. 7 All dead .. 


Healthy . . 

1 dead 

3 dead . . 
All dead . . 


Healthy . 
Healthy 
3 dead . . . 
All dead. 


Healthy . 
Healthy . 
1 dead ... 
All dead 


1 dead . . . 
1 dead . . . 
3 dead . . . 
All dead - 


Healthy . 
Healthy . 


1 dead . . . 
3 dead .-. 


1 dead. 
1 dead. 


Aui.'. 16 All dead .. 


All dead . 


All dead 


All dead. 



02 

Oil the same day this exi)eriiiiciit was bc^un, a second was also com- 
menced, like the liist in every particular excei)t that the healthy bugs 
used, in experimentation, were exposed to fungus infested individuals 
for only live hours, and then placed under their respective glasses. As 
a result on August 15, thirteen days after, none had died, thus strongly 
indicating that the Entomophihora did not exist generally in the fields, 
and that it /could not be communicated during a period of five hours, 
exi)osure. 

On August 7 a large number of healthy bugs were placed under 
glass, with a number which had recently died from Entomophthora, the 
moisture in the vessel being absorbed by calcium chloride. A check 
experiment was also commenced, where the material and the condi- 
tions were the same, except the humidity of the atmosphere, care being- 
taken to have the latter as nearly saturated with moisture as possible. 
August 10, the original experiment was divided and a portion of the 
healthy bugs removed and placed in a damp environment, the remain- 
der being kept under the original dry conditions. The results on 
August 22 were as follows. In the original experiment, where the 
healthy bugs had been continually in dry quarters, not a single bug- 
had died from Entomophthora. Not only this, but none of those which 
had been removed after three days and placed in dry quarters had died, 
showing that the disease was not contracted and did not develop in 
healthy bugs, though kejit exposed iu a dry atmosphere for fifteen 
days, nor could it be originated by placing, in a damp atmosphere, for 
twelve days, bugs which had been exposed to contagion for three days 
in dry quarters. The results with the check experiment were quite dif- 
ferent. Within five days after being confined with tha Entomophthora, 
the healthy bugs began to die from effects of the disease, and in three 
days more every one had died from the same cause, their bodies being 
covered with spores. 

Still another experiment was tried vs'hich consisted iu confining a 
large uumber of healthy bugs with others diseased in a damp environ- 
ment, and w^heu the fungus had destroyed a portion the remainder were 
divided and a part removed to dry quarters. The result was that while 
those left in damp confinement continued to die, none of those inclosed 
iu dry environment were destroyed. As the fungus had by this time be- 
come distributed over the experiment farm so that I could not tell with 
certainty whether material from the fields was in a perfectly healthy 
condition or not, no farther experiments were made in this direction. 

From the foregoing it will be observed that the essential element iu 
all of these experiments was an abundance of iuoisture, without which 
the Entomophthora could neither become established nor flourish after 
Jt had gained a footing. Agaiu the extent to which the disease will 
prove contagious will depend upon the number of bugs. Without 
great numbers massed together comparatively few would contract the 
disease. To sum up the matter there is little hope for relief to the 
farmer from the iufiuence of Entomophthora, except w^hen Chinch Bugs 



63 

are iibuinUiiit iiiul massed logetlier iu great uimibers, ami during a 
period of wet weather. 1 have succeeded in getting the fungus estab- 
lished at two widely located points in Indiana, and do not consider it 
at all difficult to introduce iu localities where Chinch Bugs are abun- 
dant, provided the weather is favorable. But if it is ever utilized by 
the farmer, which seems tome to be at present a matter of considerable 
doubt, it will only be after the pest has become very abundant, duriug the 
time between the first larval and adult stages aud in a wet time; After 
the Entomopktlwra has been introduced into a certain field it will be- 
come ditfused only iu proportion as the bugs travel about and healthy 
bugs come iu contact with si)ores from those which have died from the 
disease. This will not be very great until the pupal stage is reached. 

The larva; of Chinch Bugs seem to in some way understand that while 
moulting they will be well uigh helpless, aud hence hide themselves away 
in vast numbers in secluded places. Under such conditions the spores 
thrown from diseased bugs would reach a larger uumber of their fellows. 
I have found adults but recently moulted affected by ihQEntomoplithora. 
After the bugs acquire wings and scatter themselves over the country, 
the liabdity to contagion will be again reduced, unless in case of very 
severe invasions, where from force of numbers congregating on or about 
food plants becomes a necessit}^ Hence, the introduction of the fungus 
among larvie will at first proceed but slowly, aud only in extreme cases 
aud under favorable conditions can it be expected to proceed much more 
rapidly amoug adult bugs. In short, the only way that this fungoid 
disease seems capable of being employed in agriculture is by the estab- 
lishment of some central propagating station to which farmers can apply 
aud receive an abundant supply of infested bugs on short notice. By 
this means they could take advantage of a rainy period of a week or 
ten days, and, if they can contrive by sowing plats of millet and Hun- 
garian to mass the bugs in certain localities about their fields, they 
might accomplish something towards warding off an invasion. But 
the possibility of overcoming an invasion after it is fully under way, 
as is almost sure to be the case during a dry season, it must be con- 
fessed is not very encouraging. My failure afterrepeated experiments 
to produce this Entomophtliora in the vicinity of Lafayette without the 
importation of germs is decidedly against the theory that might be ad- 
vanced that the northeastern portion of the State was kept free of 
destructive invasions by reason of this disease brought about by wet 
weather. There is as yet no reason to believe that the disease has 
ever existed iu that section of the State. 

Before leaving the subject it will be proper to state that iu my exper- 
iments a larva of Chrysopa was introduced by accident and jiassed 
through the larval stage, feeding continually on bugs dying from the 
eftects of the fungus. 

After harvest the Chinch Bugs, as usual, transferred their attention 
to various grasses whicli were growing up among the stubble, more 
especially Sctaria and Pamcum, but as these succumbed to their coutin- 



G4 

ued attacks tlioy transferred tlieir atteutioii to Timothy, and appeared 
to snbsist e<iually well upon it. 

At the date of wheat harvesting, fields were swarming- with a species 
of lady beetle, Coccinella d-notata, tliey having become excessively 
abundant by reason of the great numbers of the Grain Aphis, and 
as these disappeared the Coccinella was obliged to scatter themselves 
about and seek other food. As large numbers were found on stalks of 
growing coru infested by chinch-bugs, it seemed proper to determine 
the object of attraction to such places. The problem was in part solved 
by the fact that wherever great numbers of Chinch Bugs had i)uuctured 
the corn plants the sap would exude from these punctured spots, and 
there the beetles would be found, singly or in groups of two or three, 
engaged in feeding upon the sap. Beetles placed under glass with a 
great number of Chinch Bugs refused to prey upon the latter, even when 
brought nearly to the point of starvation. 

While searching under the sheaths of coru on several occasions larva^, 
and pup;e of a Syrphus 13y were found, in many cases, right among the 
masses of young bugs. From some of these pu})a'. thus obtained we 
reared adults of Plpiza pulclieUa. Whether this si)ecies will ultimately 
prove to be an enemy of the Chinch Bug, it is too much to say, but the 
hirv;e found by me could only have fed upon bugs or exuding sap, as 
they were near the roots of the corn where no pollen had collected. 

THE GRAIN APHIS. 

{Siplionopliora arema Fab.) 

Probably no insect has appeared in the State of Indiana for many 
years which caused such a general commotion amoug wheat-growers, 
and which worked so little damage, considering, its numbers, as this. 

Occurring every year in greater or less numbers, and having been 
freciuently sent us by farmers, we were not at all surprised to receive 
specimens from Gallatin County, 111., on May 27, and also a few days 
later from our aged friend Ur. Richard Owen, of New Harmony, Posey 
County, Ind. Probably about Maj^ 20 can be set down as the date of 
appearance, in numbers to attract attention in the extreme southern 
part of the State, the invasion terminating in the extreme northern i)or- 
tion about the 1st of July. 

That the outbreak, which was probably the most severe since 1861 
and 1802, should reach the magnitude that it did, both in point of 
numbers and area infested, was a surprise to me, as the preceding 
November had been spent by myself in traveling about, visiting the 
wheat fields of various portions of the State, these insects then being 
observed in no greater numbers than was usual at that season of the 
year. The winter following was an extremely mild one, which, taken 
with the statement of Dr. Cyrus Thomas,* that the -insect i)asses the 
winter on grain plants in the fields, might lead to a misunderstanding 
as to the actual efiect of mild winters. 



EiglJtU Rep. St, Eut. 111., 1«79, p. 03, 



65 



The winters of 18C1 and 18G2, the years of the serious outbreaks 
in New York and New England, though not particularly severe in the 
sections above mentioned, were by no means noted for mildness. It 
seems doubtful, therefore, if the causes leading to the invasion of the 
present year would carry us farther back than the spring months, a 
statement strongly substantiated by our own observation. 

Starting, then, with the month of March we search for some meteoro- 
logical element which might aflect the increase of the Grain Aj^his, and 
which appears both in the present season and also in 1861 and 18G2. 

T.VBLE H. — General weather conditions in various localities diirivy years of tjreat abun- 
dance of Grain Aphis. 



Locality. 


Year. 


1 
March. April. 


May. 


June. 




0861... 
1^1862.. 

1889 .. 

1889... 


CCool ' Cool Cool 

) Average.] Wet Wot 


Cool. 
Dry. 




( Cool Cool 

\ Wet : Wet 

5 AVarni . . . | Warm 

)Dry...... Dry 


i;ooi 

Dry 

Cool 


Cool. 
Dry. 
Cool. 




Dry 


Wet. 
^Cool. 










^Wet. 



The weather conditions as relating to New York and New England 
for 1861 and 1862, as given in Table H are based upon reports contained 
in the Country Gentleman for these years. Those for ludiana are based 
on the reports of the State Weather Service, and the data for western 
New York, for 1889, was given me by Prof. James Troop, Horticultural- 
ist of the ludiana Experiment Station, who visited Livingston County 
in July. 

From Table I, taken from Indiana Weather Service reports, it will be 
observed that during March and April the temperature was considera- 
bly above the normal, with the precipitation during this time below the 
average. On the other hand, the temperature of the months of May 
and June was much below the normal, with, as indicated by Table I, pre- 
cipitation above the average. By referring to Table K, however, it will 
be observed that about half of the precipitation of May fell on the 29th 
and 30th of the month, thereby changing the apparent state of aft'aiis, 
and practically throwing May into the dry period. 

We have stated that the outbreak of the grain Aphis became con- 
spicuous in southern Indiana and Illinois in May. It is also true that 
they reached their maximum numbers during the very last of this month 
and early June. In other words, they appeared during cool, dry weather, 
and disappeareil in cool, wet weather. Thus far the old theory of ento- 
mologists, that wet weather is detrimental to their increase appeared 
true. 

But it is also true, that while in southern localities they were disap- 
pearing during a wet period, in central and northern Indiana and 
western New York they were rapidly gaining in numbers, under pre- 
cisely similar conditions. 
23479— No. 22 5 



66 

Tnniins now to Tabic II, we search for an element common to the in- 
vasions of 18G1 and ]<SG2 and 1881), bearing; in mind that in sontliern 
Indiana the pest arose to the maximum during May and early June, 
and in New York during June and early July. 

Tahlk I. — Comparative tvmpcraliire and prccipUation tliroiir/hotit the State of TniViana 
for March, April, May, and June, 1^89. 

TEMl'EIlATLTllE (DEGKEES— FAHKENIIEIT). 



Coiiutii'o. 



Southern 

Dubois 

Gibson 

Crawford 

Washiiigtou . 

Switzerland . 

Jennings 

Greene 

BaiTbolomew 

Kipley 

Warrick 

Clark 

Central 

Johnson 

Fayette 

Marion 

Kush 

Henry 

Wayne 

Kandolph 

Delaware 

Northern 

Tiiipecanoo . . 

CarioU 

Whitley 

Steuben , 

state , 



Stations 



Huutingburgli .. 

Princeton ... 

M areugo 

Salem 

Vevay 

Butlerville 

Worthinston 

Columbus 

Sunmau 

Dagonia Springs . 
Blue Lick 



Franklin . . . . 
Coniiersvillo. 
Indianapolis 

Mauzy .^. 

Spiceiand 

liichmond .. . 
Farmland . . . 
Muncie 



Lafayette 

Delphi 

Columbia City. 
Angola 



March. 



41.1 
41.4 
41.8 
42.3 
41.3 
42.8 
42.4 
39.6 
38.4 
39.4 
43.4 
42. 9 
3G.7 
37.9 
37.8 
39.8 
3.5.0 
37.0 
3.5.9 
36.4 
.38.1 
34.5 
36.1 
36.0 
34.7 
31.7 
37.4 



+ 2.8 
+ 4.6 
+4-7 
+3.1 
+ 0.2 
+3.9 
+2.9 
+-1.5 
+ 2.7 
+3.0 
+2.1 
+3.1 
+4.9 
+5.1 
+5.5 
+ 2.8 
+6.1 
+ 6.0 
+2.0 
+6.0 
+5.2 
+3.8 
+ 1.7 
+ 1.7 
+ L9 
+6.3 
+3.9 



April. 



May. 



54.8 
54.6 
54.1 
57.7 
53.2 
54.8 
55.5 
53.9 
52.2 
53.4 
55.8 
55. 3 
51.0 
52. (I 
49.8 
52.5 
49.2 
50.0 
50.5 
48.7 
52.3 
49.9 
54.7 
51.6 
48.9 
47.8 
51.9 



—0.1 
+•-'. 1 
+1.1 
+ 1.1 
—0.1 
+ 1.3 
—2.0 
+ 0.9 
+ 0.2 
+ 0.4 
—0.7 
+ 1.14 
+ 0.3 
+ L4 
+ 3.0 
+0.1 
+ 0.4 
+2.6 
—3. 1 
+2.8 
— 1.8 
—0.1 
—3.9 
—1.4 
—0.9 
+ 1.4 
0.00 



64.4 
61.0 
64.7 
6.5.3 
64.2 
6.5.4 
65.7 
63.9 
63.4 
65.3 
64.6 
64.5 
61.9 
63.0 
62.6 
64.1 
60.7 
61.6 
62.0 
61.3 
62.2 
61.0 
6L4 
62.3 
60.0 
63.1 
62.1 



—1.9 
- 1.4 
-0.3 
—0.9 
—0.1 
—0.8 
—4.0 
—3.2 
—2.4 
—3.0 
—2.5 
— L4 
—1.0 
—1.2 
— l.l 
—3.9 
—1.2 
+0.7 
—4.1 
—0.3 
—1.1 
—2.4 
—2.1 
—2. 7 

—1.7 
—1.4 



June. 



72.2 


—2.5 


72.8 


—1.0 


74.0 


—3.3 


72.2 


—0.3 


74.4 


—3.5 


73.7 


—3.2 


70.2 


—2.4 


72.2 


—3.7 


72.5 


-^.3 


72.0 


—2.3 


74.3 


—2.3 


70.4 


—2.6 


70.8 


—2.5 


71.3 


—3.6 


72.5 


—5.3 


68.7 


—0.3 


70.5 


—2.5 


69. 5 


—2.5 


69.7 


—2.3 


70.0 


—1.5 


70.0 


-3.8 


70.0 


—3.8 


69.5 


—5.6 


63.9 


-0.4 


70.9 


—3.0 



PRECIPITATION (INCHES). 



Southern , 

Dubois 

Gibson 

Crawford 

Washington ., 

Switzerland . . 

Jennings 

Greene 

Bartholomew . 

Ri])ley 

Warrick , 

Clark 

Central 

Johnson 

Fayette , 

Mai'ion 

Kush 

Henry 

Wayne 

Kandolph 

Delaware 

Northern 

Tippecanoe 



Huntingburgh... 

Princeton 

Marengo 

Salem 

Vevay 

Bntlerville 

Worthington 

Columbus 

Sunman 

Dagouia Springs - 
Blue Lick 



Franklin ... 

Connersvillo. 

Indianajjolis. 

Mauzy 

Spiceiand 

Kichmond 

l'':irmlanil 

Jylunci^ 



T^ifayelte 



Carroll | Delphi. 

Whitley ! Columbia City . 

Steuben Angola 

State 



+ 0.65 
—0.24 
+0. 05 
+1.25 




67 

Table K. — Records of rain-fall throughout Indiana during May, 1889. 



Pluce of obacrvat iou. 



Stations. 



Southern : 

Moniil Vernon... 
Iluiitiniibur-ih- .. 

Piinietou 

ilarenj^o 

Salfni 

V.-vay ... 

BiUletville 

Worthiuf^tou 

Seymour 

Oolnnil)u.s 

Sunnnm 

Deironia Si)rings. 

Cannelton 

Blue Lick 

Jeffersonville . . 
Nortli Providence 



Counties. 



Mean 



Central : 

Franklin 

(Jonnersville . 
Slielbyville .. 
Indianapolis . 

Mauzy 

Si)iceian(l 

Kiobnioud . .. 

Kockville 

Farmland 

Muncie 



Mean . 



Northern : 

Lafayette 

Delphi 

Maiion 

('olnmbia City. .. 

An^iola 

Lagrange 



Mean 



Posey 

Dubois 

Gibson 

Crawford 

Washington ... 
Switzerland ... 

Jennings . 

Greene 

Jackson 

Bartholomew . . 

Ripley 

Wariick 

Pei'ry 

Claiic 

...do 

....do 



Johnson . . 
Fayette... 
Shelby.... 
Marion . . . 

Hush 

Henry 

Wayne . . . 

Parke 

Randolph . 
Delaware . 



Tippecanoe . 

Carroll 

(irant 

Wliitley .... 

Steuben 

Lagrange . . . 



ab 



ab 



be 



cb 



410 
481 

525 

540 

648 

1018 

1000 
575 



37 58 

38 21 
38 2.'! 
38 24 
38 38 

38 47 

39 3 
39 9 

38 45 

39 13 
39 141 
38 GJ 

37 57 

38 32 



87 54 

86 59 

87 35 
86 24 

86 7 

84 59 

85 33 

87 

86 31 
85 56 
85 6 

87 12 
80 42 
85 50 



Precipitatiiin. 



° a 
a 



38 25 



39 30 



766 



39 40 



39 47 



32 50 
969 39 51 
7221 39 46i 
40 11 
40 11 



85 54 



85 3 



86 11 



40 27 
40 36 

40 34 

41 9 
4l 37 
41 37 



85 25 

84 53 
87 10 

85 10 

85 25 



4.53 
6.55 
4. 4i) 
9. 85 
5.29 
6.17 
6.43 
2.90 
6.14 
4.80 
5.72 
4.0 + 
4. 53 
5.55 
5.78 
4.78 



5.17 



86 55 
86 41 
85 21 
85 30 
85 1 
85 26 



4.37 
6.59 
4.65 
5.76 
6.09 
6.43 
6.75 
5.75 
4.15 



6.41 
7.25 
3.20 
5.95 
5.25 



5.70 



Greatest in 
24 consecu- 
tive hours. 



3.35 
3.55 
1.40 
5. 70 
2.76 
2.60 
4.03 
1.86 
3.00 
2. 27 

2. GO 
1.45 
1.96 
1.78 

3. 43 
3.27 



2.62 



1.88 
2.14 
2.15 
2.13 
2.79 
3. 18 
2 68 
2. 6!i 
2.44 



2.44 



1.92 
3.87 
1.60 
4.25 
3. 85 



2.91 



29,30 
29,30 
29. 30 
29, 30 
29,30 
29,30 
29,30 
29, 30 

29 
29,30 
29,30 
29,30 
29,30 

30 
29,30 
29,30 



29,30 
29, 30 
29,30 
29, 30 
29, 30 
29,30 
29,30 
29, 3(1 
29, 30 



29 
29, 3(1 
29,30 
29, 30 
29, 30 



In. 
T 







T 










Nujuber of 
days. 



8 7 
7| 
1413 

10 9 
141 8 

11 7 
16, 8 



814 
910 

14| 8 
15 

12| 7 
10 10 
3 21 
10 4 



11 9,11 



23 
4,15 



S]6 



20 5 
8 12 
13 
914 
Oil 

614 



614 
11 15 



10 
7 
11 
10 
16 
13 
11 
15 
12 
11 
10 
10 
10 
12 
11 



SUMMARY. 





Precipitation. 


Number of 
days. 




§a 

.= 73 O 
*" S O 

III 

H 

5.70 
5.62 
5.17 


Greatest in 
24 consecu- 
tive hours. 


3 

o 

5 


fl- 


S 
5 


o 
a 
a 

^§ 

a '" 
O 




a 
o 

a 
<1 


6 
P 




2.91 
2.44 
2.62 




Tn. 






8 815 
11 G14 
11 911 

lo' 8 IS 


9 




12 


Southern counties 


11 


State 


5.50 


2.66 







11 




1 







(38 

Tlie w'iit weather tlieory here ai)i)ears broken, and a low teui[)erature 
is the only element which api)ears nniforinly throngh the months dur- 
ing which the Grain Aphis was, in all probability, increasing with the 
greatest rapidity. That cool weather should favor the development of 
these insects would, if true, be a new factor in the jiroblem, not only 
of this, but other species also ; and before leaning too heavily upon 
this evidence we should cast about for good reasons for this apparent 
ambiguity. 

There is one very important element in this whole problem which we 
have so far left out of consideration, viz, natural enemies. While low 
temperature might not favor the development of the grain Aphis, or in 
fact, if the effect was slightly adverse, if the outcome was to destroy or 
retard the development of parasites, the ultimate result would be to 
favor the Aphis. 

For myself, I can not get rid of the feeling that the indirect action of 
the weather of May and June — the action upon the ])arasites — was 
much greater than the direct efl'ect upon the Aphis itself. 

According to my tield-notes, my earliest observation of the grain 
Aphis about La Fayette, lat. 40° 27' N., during any year, was on April 
27, and we have observed them during other years ou grain early in 
May, in greater abundance than they were the present year on the 1st 
of June; yet in the former case no outbreak occurred. Up to the 1st 
of June, the Aphis was not exceedingly abundant ou grain about La 
Fayette. 

Even as late as the 7th their numbers on the heads of wheat were 
not so much greater than they had occasionally been in former years 
as to cause alarm ; yet within ten days they were swarming in these 
same fields in myriads. This certainly bespeaks more of the effects of 
relief from the pressure of parasitism than from the effect of meterolog- 
ical conditions, especially a change from dry to wet weather. 

The question may be asked, why, if this be true, were not the para- 
sites destroyed in the southern portion of the State, late in May, thereby 
relieving the Grain Aphis from this check on their increase, and why 
the latter by reason of this relief did not, as the wheat became too ad- 
vanced, overrun the oat-fields, as would . have at that date naturally 
followed. The reply is that such results did follow to a limited extent, 
the oats being rather more seriously infested by the Aphis than farther 
northward, and the reason why this feature was not more marked was 
doubtless owing to the fact that the cold waves of the first and last of 
May, especially the latter, were less severe than farther north, and the 
effect on the parasites correspondingly less fatal. 

The records of the State weather service show that the minimum 
temperature of the first four days of May at La Fayette was below the 
freezing point; and on the 22d, 23d, 30th, 31st, from 34o to 39° Fahr. 
The mean minin)um lor the entire State for the same month, according 
to the same authority, was, for the southern portion, 30° Fahr,, for the 
central 32^ Fahr., and for the northern oQo Fahr, 



69 

Bnckton (British Aphides, vol. t, p. 70) has the following? to say with 
regard to the effect of weather on this and other species of Aphides : 

Violent cliangos of teinpeiatiiro seem niucili to ebeck tlie nmltiplicatiou of tLe 
Apliulc's. A coUl raiu, or the outburst of a tbuiider .stonu, will often cause the almost 
entire cxtermiuation of swarms, and wash tbem, never to return, from their native 
plants. Nevertheless, the close and hot atmosphere before a thunder storm seems to 
to be peculiarly suited to their propagation. At such times the winged forms occur 
in great numbers and take llight on the gentle winds, which transport them many 
miles to other feeding grounds, to become the foundresses of other colonies. 

The effect of the parasites on the Grain Louse was simply astonishing:, 
while their numbers were myriads. Going to the fields of recently har- 
vested grain, if one stood in a position to bring the newly made shocks 
between himself and the setting sun, he could clearly observe the 
swarms of minute Hymenopters arising therefrom and flying away. Be- 
sides, the stubble-fields were overrun with lady beetles and their 
larva3. 

Nevertheless, there are good grounds for the belief that the heavy 
showers during the latter part of June and early July, in the central 
and northern portions of Indiana, washed many young from the heads 
of the grain and destroyed them. Besides, either the severe thunder 
and lightning which accompanied these storms or the ra])idly matur- 
ing grain, or both, perhaps, caused the winged adults to betake them- 
selves to the oat-fields, where they would probably have caused furtlier 
damage had not their relentless foes, the Hymenopters, pursued them 
and continued their work of destruction. 

It was a common sight early in July, in northern Indiana, to see 
adults of the grain-lice attached singly to heads of oats, sometimes with 
a few young clustered about them, assuming the form and color so in- 
dicative of i^arasitism. In southern Indiana, late in June, the same 
thing was observed on oats, and parasitized adults were also abundant 
on the heads of blue-grass, even long distances from grain fields. 

In summing up the matter, it may be safely said tliat wet weather 
wfllnot, of itself, prevent an outbreak of the grain Aphis, or dispel it 
after under full headway. It must be borne in mind, however, that cool 
wet weather, during May and June, will enable grain plants to sustain 
greater drafts on their vitality than will very dry and hot weather. It 
is also probably true that a cool temperature during spring and early 
summer is either directly or indirectly favorable to the development of 
the grain Aphis. 

Regarding the life history of the species under consideration we have 
never found them in the fields at an earlier date than April 27. From 
this time we have an unbroken record of their occurrence up to July 9, 
when there is a break in their continuity of appearance until Septem- 
ber 1, when full grown apterous females were found on leaves of early 
sown wheat. From this latter date we again have an unbroken record 
up to December 30. We have also observed the sexes pairing on No- 
vember 11 and Decembers. 



70 

We have several times attempted to follow the species through July 
and August, but have always failed. Adults placed on various kintls 
of grasses in breeding cages invariably died during July. The occur- 
reuce of great numbers of wingless parasitized females on heads of 
Poa 2)rate7isis, long distances from grain fields, strongly suggest this 
grass as one of its midsummer food plants. While in this and other 
cases we have been unable to rear Aphides on certain plants in breed- 
ing cages, yet we do not feel at all certain but that outside, under the 
usual environments, nature might accomplish j)recisely the same object. 
The results of breeding cage experiments with Aphides must always bo 
accepted with extreme caution. 

The present year we had young grain growing continually from spring 
to November, yet not a single grain Aphis was to be found on either 
this young grain or grasses from July 9 to late in October. Their 
limited numbers at this season may, however, be accounted for by the 
fact that they were very nearly exterminated in July by their natural 
enemies. 

Dr. Cyrus Thomas states that in 1875, in Southern Illinois, he ob- 
served winged and wingless specimens on wheat during winter, ami 
suggests that the species winters over in other forms than the egf!;.* 
There appears to be no good reason for doubting the truth of Dr. 
Thomas' suggestion, especially if applied to mild winters. During the 
time Ave have been located in a wheat-growing district the winters have 
been quite severe, so that we have not been able to follow the species 
through the cold months. The winter of 1888-'89 w^as a mild one, but 
we were absent in Australia during the entire time. 

iSipJiouophora avencv, is by no means the only species of Aphides in- 
festing the plants of our smaller cereal grains. An undescribed species 
of Toxoptera occurs on the leaves of wheat in the latitude of La Fayette, 
in June. We have carried this species through July aiul August on 
wheat in breeding cages, found it again in the fields in September, and 
from this on until the 22d of December. During the latter month they 
continued to reproduce in a room, which, though warm during the day, 
the temj)eraturc fell below the freezing point every night. I have not 
been able to follow the species through the winter months in the fields. 

A species of A2)his, undistiuguishable from A. mali, appears regularly 
every September, and, indeed, sometimes as early as July 17, on young 
wheat and rye. From the latter date up to the 12th of November they 
have been observed on young grain, giving birth to their young. 

Notwithstanding the fact that the species is not distinguishable from 
the apple tree Aphis, yet the attempt to transfer them to the apple leafj 
or vice versa, has invariably resulted in failures. 

A second Aphis, as yet undescribed, is found about the roots of wheat, 
often in sufficient numbers to attect the plants. This species occurs 
throughout the entire State, from about the last of September, and 

*EigLth Rop. St. Eiit. 111., 1879, r- f>3. 



i 



71 

probably winters over in the fields, in other stages besides the egg, al 
though we liave never yet found tlieni on grain during the early part 
of the year. 

An undescribed species of Rhopalosiplmm was found on spring grown 
volunteer wheat, on July 12, of the present year. A few days later 
adults, both winged and wingless, and young in all stages of develop- 
ment, were found on the heads of orchard grass, Dactylis glomerata^ 
and also on the heads of spring sown rye, working precisely after the 
manner of the true Grain Aphis. This species I was not able to follow 
in the fields after about the 10th of August, when it left the heads of 
rye, and, though a large number were placed on young wheat plants, 
in a breeding cage, all seem to have died. 

When this last species was confined on wheat, the same cage and 
plants were utilized as had been used in the attempt to carry the true 
grain Aiiliis through the months of July and August. But as none of 
the many individuals placed on the plants survived, a large number of 
heads of rye thickly infested by the Rliopalosiphum were placed in the 
cage. When the first winged adult appeared in this cage, I was not a 
little surprised to find it belonged to neither one of the species inten- 
tionally placed in the cage, but to a species of Myzus, which could have 
only gained admission by being introduced with one or the other or both 
of the other species. 

By whatever way it gained admission, this Myzus has continued to 
throw off generation after generation, and at date of writing, Novem- 
ber 25, is still reproducing, although during the entire time — nearly 
four months — it has had no other plants except wheat upon w^hich to 
subsist. It is undescribed. 

Still another species (a Megoura sp.?) was found giving birth to young, 
on leaves of young rye, August 9, but not observed afterwards. 

The natural enemies of the Grain Aphis were, as we might expect, 
unusually numerous the i^resent year, and especially those belonging 
to the Hymcnopfera. Of these we had reared, during other years, a 
species of Trioxys in quite abundance, and this season the following 
occurred in great numbers : Bassus sycophanta Walsh, Aphidius avena- 
phis Yitah, Isocratus vulgaris Walker, Encyrtns wchsteri Howard, Allo- 
tria tritici Fitch, Megaspilus niger Howard, Pachyneuron micans Howard. 

Of the Syrphids, tSphaeroplioria cylindrical Xantlio gramma emarginata, 
and AUograpta ohliqua were very numerous. A secondary parasite, 
liassus sycophanta, was in some localities so exceedingly abundant that 
nearly all of these useful flies were destroyed. 

Two species of Chrysopa were exceedingly useful. In a field of 
wheat, near Indianapolis, about the middle of June, these -were so 
abundant that at every step, from one to four or five individual adults 
would be disturbed, and take wing. The field was but very slightly 
attacked by iSiphonophora. 



72 

Of tlio Coleopterous enemies, the Coccindlnhv were by far the most 
iiulnstrious. Of this family probably Coccincllad-notata, with itslarvje, 
was the most abuudant and generally distributed species. 

In a field of newly harvested grain, in La Grange County, within a 
radius of 3 feet from where I was standing at the time, fifteen individ- 
uals were counted, crawling about among the stubble. Hipjwdnmia 
parenthesis followed next, in point of numbers, JI. cojirergens, II. 13- 
punctafa and H. glaciaUs being also found in quite large numbers in 
various localities. Megilla maculata was scarcely noticed at all, and 
Anatis 15pnnctatn but once. 

Podahrus tomentoHus was exceedingly useful in some portions of the 
State, while Telephorus caroUnus was often quite numerous in the fields 
of the central part of the State. 



P:NTOMOLOCtICAL XOTES from MrSSOURI FOR TOE SEA- 
SON OF 1880. 



By Mauy E. Murtfeldt, Kirhrood, Mo. 



LETTER OF SUBMITTAL. 

Dear Sir : I inclose horowitli such of my notes and obflorvations on insects as may 
be of economic int<M'est, and in this connection desire to expi'ess my sincere thanks 
for determinations and other assistance, for which I am indebted to yourself and to 
others of the official force of tlie Division. 
Yours, very respectfully, 

Mary E. Murtfeldt. 
Trof. C. V. Riley, 

U. S. T'Jiiiomolof/i.tf. 



GENERAL OBSERVATIONS. 

The Cabbage CnrcnUo {Ceutorhynchns ra/pw). — A number of my corre- 
spoiulents in the central part of the State have informed me of the 
serious ravages of this insect in their hot-beds and vegetable gardens. 
Mr. F. M. Webster also wrote me, about the middle of May, that it had 
appeared in his garden in La Fayette, Ind. As yet [ have not found 
it in Kirkwood or vicinity, and as it was with some difficulty that I 
obtained specimens for study, I have not been able to make such tests 
of insecticides upon it as would be i)racticable in the field. It promises 
to become a general and very considerable pest to the market gar- 
dener. 

The Wavystriped Flea-beetle {Phyllotreta vittata), — This insect ap- 
jK'ared in great numbers this year in all parts of the State, being very 
destructive to peppergrass, early radishes, turnips, cabbage, and other 
Crvcifera' during the months of April and May. Mr. S. W. Gilbert, of 
Thayer, in the extreme southern part of the State, reported a loss of 
over fifty thousand cabbage plants from the work of the larvae on the 
roots. I could scarcely credit the statement that such extensive injury 
was attributable to this one insect until convinced by specimens of the 
pest, and of the injured plants which were excoriated and channeled on 
the surface of the roots from collar to tip, the foliage also being injured 

73 



74 

by the mature beetles. A toi)-(lressiii^H- of wood ashes with a slight ad- 
mixture of Paris }i;viiQU was recommended, but I was not infornu'd with 
wliat results. 

In company with this liea-beetle on the leaves of late radishes in our 
own garden, I was surprised to find great numbers of a species of 
rodura. I could not determine whether it produced any effect on the 
radish foliage independently, or why it should have appeared there so 
numerously. 

Canker-worms {Anisopteryx vernata), except in orchards thoroughly 
l)lowed and harrowed the previous autumn, were quite abundant. 
Owing to the very warm winter, and consequent irregularity in emer- 
gence of the moths, cotton band traps, applied even as early as the first 
of March, did not capture as large a i)roportion of the females as usual. 
On some trees, therefore, the worms were numerous and where not 
killed by spraying were quite injurious. 

The Plum Curculio, which last year caused scarcely any damage to 
the fruits usually affected by it, appeared this season with recruited 
ranks ; and on peach and plum trees, where spraying was not prac- 
ticed, or where the frequent rains washed off the arsenites, a large pro- 
portion of the fruit was stung. As confirmatory of the single brooded- 
ness of the species, I observed that all the v^ery late peaches, whether 
free or cling stones, even when so severely punctured on the surface as 
to prevent the development of the fruit, were entirely free from worms, 
showing that the cuts had been made for food only. 

Aphididw. — It would seem as though all known and unknown species 
of this group of insects appeared in myriads throughout the Missis- 
sippi Valley, during the spring and summer. In many instances trees 
and shrubbery were killed outright by the punctures of their countless 
beaks, and the closing of the stomata of the leaves by their sticky 
exudations. So badly infested were the elms, maples, lindens, box- 
elders, and other shade trees, in and around Minneapolis, Minn., during 
the latter part of June that to pause or even i^ass beneath them was to 
endanger one's apparel from the honey dew that continually dripped 
from them, and from the black mold that soon covered trunk and 
branch and which " smutted " everything touching it. All other insects 
seemed to be repelled from the aphis-infested trees; not even a leaf- 
roller or leaf-miner could I see. In the September number of Insect 
Life, mentioning the prevalence of Aphis avenw in the grain-fields of 
many of the Middle and Western States, I observe that Missouri was 
omitted from the list. The insect, however, occurred quite extensively 
in the middle and northern portions of the State, but it appeared 
rather late, and but comparatively little danuige was done so far as I 
have been able to learn. 

Syrphus fiy, Coccinellid and Chrysopa larva*, waged a fierce, but, at 
first, unequal warfare with the tiny hosts, assisted by Aphellmifi and 
probably other smaller as well as Inrgcr allies, so that as the season 



75 

advanced the Aphididw gradually disappeared and wLere seasonable 
raius followed the uufortiiiiate plants measurably recovered, though 
the growth of trees and shrubbery was much retarded and distorted 
by them. 

Codling Moth, not seriously destructive in the northern part of the 
State, but in the vicinity of St. Louis and in the southern counties, as I 
have been api)rised by various correspondents, fully 50 per cent, of the 
fruit, on trees not sprayed, was destroyed by it. 

The Stalk-borer {Gortyna nifela) committed its usual depredations in 
the leaf stalks of rhubarb and in shoots of blackberry and peach. 
Mr. S. W. Gilbert wrote me that it was so abundant in his young peach 
orchard that in the course of one walk among the trees he cut off twenty- 
five or thirty bored shoots. He says : 

The worm seems to enter at tlie second or third bud from the tip and bore through 
the heart as far as the body of the tree bat does not enter the hard A\'ood. 

In the flower garden this insect has done considerable damage by 
boring the stalks of dahlias, cosmos, and other flowers. 

The FlcaWce Negro-bug {Coritnehcna pulicaria). — Mr. E. S. Pollard, of 
Cameron, northwest Missouri, under date of May 22, sent specimens of 
this insect with the information that they were very abundant in his 
strawberry beds, and doing much damage by puncturing the bearing 
stems, causing the fruit to shrivel. As it was the fruiting season, I 
was at a loss to suggest a remedy, since this insect is not susceptible to 
the eflfects of pyrethrum, or other non-poisonous ai)plications. In Kirk- 
wood it appeared in great numbers on hollyhocks and various other 
flowering plants, for which the easiest remedy seemed to be to jar it 
into basins of soap-suds to which had been added a small quantity of 
kerosene. 

Lygus lineatus appeared here and there on tufts of clover, about the 
middle of May, injuring the foliage to considerable extent. It inhabits 
the under surfaces of the leaves which it speckles with transparent dots 
and small patches which cause the leaves to curl and shrivel. Its broad, 
flat larva is of a dull, pale green color, variegated with a few ferrugin- 
ous marks and shadings. The pupa is very similar, with the addition 
of the wing-pads. 

The Tarnished Plant-hug [Lygus pratends Linn.'). — This insect was more 
abundant than usual throughout the State, and from numerous corre- 
spondents I received bitter complaints of its injuries to apple and pear 
buds and to strawberry beds. During the autumn it appeared in con- 
siderable numbers on chrysanthemums, on which its peculiarly poison- 
ous punctures produce most disastrous effects. I was quite successful 
in driving it from our own plants by lil)eral applications of X. O. dust, 
which proved at the same time a good remedy for the brown aphis, 
which is such a common and unmanageable pest on these beautiful 
flowers. The plants were not injured in the least by the insecticides. 



76 

The Sfrcalrd Coffomrood beetle (Plaf/indera scrqjta) appeared in onr 
i^roniuls (lniiii.2;" June on a youn<jf J*o]mlus, whicli itthieatoncd to com 
pletely defoliate. The tree beiiisi' small admitted of tliorou,i;h dreneliinj:' 
with a i^lant syringe with the solution of arsenic and ammonia — 1 ounce 
of arsenic in 1 quart of aqna ammonia — 1 tablespoonful of the solution 
to a gallon of water, by which means and a little hand-picking the i)cst 
was so thoroughly exterminated that it did not reappear later in the 
season. 

The 12-spot1ed Diahrotica (/). 12 jyfmctata) was a serious pest during 
the latter part of the season, not only. on squash and cucumber vines, 
but on late sweet-corn, and especially in its injuries in the flower garden 
on the blossoms of roses, dahlias, and cosmos on which it literally 
swarmed. To save the flowers it was necessary to make the rounds two 
or three times a day and capture or put the beetles to flight. They 
were not much affected by any of the milder insecticides, and the arseni- 
cal remedies could not very conveniently be applied. 

The JEuropean Cabbage-butterfly {Fieris rapcv) acquires one or more 
new food plants annually and threatens to become quite omnivorous. 
This year it proved in several localities very destructive to nasturtiums 
{Troinvolum) both in flower and vegetable gardens. None of its para- 
sites have yet appeared, so far as I have been able to ascertain. It 
seems to have entirely supplanted our native P.protodice in this locality. 
Wishing to obtain some larv;e of the latter for a certain purjjose, I made 
many examinations during the summer of the neighboring cabbage 
plantations, but did not succeed in finding a single one. 

SPECIAL STUDIES. 

Thk SriNACH Rketle. 

{DisonycJia rolhir'm F;ibr,) 

About the middle of April I observed the leaves of spinach in the gar- 
den were badly perforated, and, upon examination, I found on the un- 
der surfaces numbers of small, dingy, white larviP, evidently of some 
Chrysomelid beetle. They reposed in the numerous depressions between 
the veins, and a slight shake or jar caused them to drop to the ground. 
The insects increased in size and numbers until by the middle of May 
all the leaves were badly injured and the gardeners hereabout com- 
plained that their s])inach was so " worm eaten" this year that they 
could no longer offer it for sale. A few of the samelarva^ were also found 
on young beet leaves, especially of the white and yellow varieties, and 
upon the wild Ghenopodium nlbum^ the latter being, I suspect, the orig- 
inal food plant of the insect. 

As the larva'- drop so quickly upon being disturbed, it is not often 
that they are observed by the gardener or cook, and the damage was 
attributed by many to "some kiud of cut- worm." By plucking the 



77 

leaves, carefully, however, as niauy as liffcoeii or twenty -'grubs" were 
sometimes found on a single leaf. 

April 24: I collected a large number, which were placed in a jar in 
order that their development might be more closely watched. Most of 
these were still very small, only from 3 to 4'"'" in length. When very 
young they merely gnaw the under surface of the leaf, noticeable on the 
upper side as small discolored spots, but as they increase in size they 
eat entirely through both cuticles, making large roundish perforations. 

It is probable that there are but three larval molts, as, in the case of 
even the smallest larviie under observation, I was able to note but two, 
and infer that one had been passed before they were brought in. 

The larger larvte entered the ground the 4th, 5th, aud 6th of May, 
penetrating to a depth of only from one-fourth to one-half an inch and 
inclosing themselves in frail, nearly spherical, cocoons or cells of earth 
cemented with a viscid secretion. Larvie, however, were found on 
the spinach throughout the month of May. 

May 25 one of the beetles emerged, which proved to be Disonyclia 
coUaris Fabr. ; and from this time until after the middle of June bred 
specimens continued to come out. 

A package of specimens was sent to the Department in case it should 
be considered desirable to have drawings made of the dilferent stages 
of development. Unfortunately this consignment did not reach Wash- 
ington, and I did not learn of the failure until too late to replace it. 
Specimens were, however, preserved in alcohol, which retain all the 
important characters. 

No account of the immature stages of the insect or of its spinach- 
feeding propensity is to be found in any work on economic entomology 
to which I have access, and 1 think it has not heretofore been recog- 
nized among the pests of the vegetable garden. I therefore subjoin 
the following descriptions. 

J'Jtjf), not observed. 

Mature larva, from which tl-e young differ only in size, 9"™ in length, 3 to 4'"'" in 
diiinii'ter ; form subcyliudrical, tiipering slightly each way from middle segments, 
which, both in resting and ci-awling, appears somewhat elevated or "hunched up." 
Color a dirty, rather livid white, witli a shiny, slightly viscid surface, each segment 
produced with ten conical papilhe — lateral ones largest — each of which terminates 
in a minute bristle. Head about one-half the diameter of the thoracic segments, 
oblique, circular, corneous, fulvous, paler in front, with dark brown mouthparts aud 
two dark brown, somewhat elevated, spots on each side. The posterior end of tbe 
body teriuiuates in a dark brown, corneous wing, most pronounced on the dorsal side, 
fringed with bristles. This is always appressed to the leaf, and in moving the bris- 
tles assist in propulsion. Legs concolorous with general surface, but with fulvous 
or dingy brown anuulatious, the terminal joint beiug entirely of the dark color. 

I'tipa, y""" in leugth, 3 in diameter across dorsum, with elytra and wings partly 
extended as in other pupie of Halticina' ; the legs drawn up and folded close against 
the body. Color pearly white in all its parts, acquiring a translucent gray tinge 
before the last transformation. 

Beetle quite pale at first, gradually acquiring the dark metallic green of the elytra, 
buff thorax, dark legs aud under surface and other coloratioual characteristics of the 
mature insect. 



78 

This species seeuis to be but sinj^le brooded, fis no yonnjf larvje were 
to be found after the first of June. As, however, tiie spinach beds 
were rooted out before midsummer in all the gardcus of the vicinity, 1 
can not be quite certain upon this point, but could not discover it on 
beets or any of the native Chenopodiacew. The insect is one to which 
it is difficult to apply insecticides, as the leaves which it attacks lie 
close to the earth and it is, as a rule, on the under side. 

New Kosk Slug. 
{Cladius isomera Harris.) 

Early in August a friend, residing at St. Charles, Mo., sent me speci- 
mens of a Tenthredinid larva that was working on her rose bushes, es- 
])ecially on climbers. This species, new to me, devours the entire sub- 
stance of the leaves, gnawing into them large ragged holes and webbing 
them together in the formation of its cocoons, greatly injuring and dis- 
figuring the plants. It is characterized as follows: 

Mature larva 12""" in length, 3""" in diameter across thorax, from 
whence it tapers very slightly backward ; form cylindrical. Color, pale 
bluish-green, surface clothed with tufts of soft gray hairs. Head 
opaque, dull whitish green, under the lens densely mottled with pale, 
ferruginous, small black dot, above which is a rectangular ferruginous 
spot on each side. Twenty legs, concolorous with general surface. 
Spins up between folded leaf or between two leaves, in glassy, gummy, 
pale brown cocoon, 7™"' long, of an oblong shape, flattened on both 
sides against the inclosing leaves and with many gummy threads 
spreading in every direction. 

Cocoons were formed in rearing cage August 20. Flies appeared 
August 29. On the 2d of September I detected two in the act of ovi- 
l)ositing, with their well developed "saws" deeply buried, one in the 
midrib, the other in the petiole of a fresh leaf. Two or three minutes 
were occupied in the placing of an egg and each fly put in three or four 
without pausing to rest. By carefully detaching the surrounding fibers 
the egg was revealed. It is oblong, scarcely 1"'"' in length, and almost 
transparent. These eggs failed to hatch, probably for lack of fecun- 
dation. 

From what I have learned from my friend, and infer from the habits of 
the insect in the rearing cage, there are an indefinite number of broods 
during the summer, and where it has become established it is therefore 
a more serious pest of the "queen of flowers" than even 8clandria 
ros(v. I do not doubt, however, that by killing off the earliest broods 
with drenehings of an infusion of white hellebore, it could be kept 
in che(;k and by perseverance in the treatment eventually extermi- 
nated. 1 have not been informed of its occurrence in any other part of 
the State, 



79 

The Wiiitf. Fringk Slug, 

{Selamlria ? sp.) 

The White Fringe tree f Ghiona nthus mrginicaj, in its season one of the 
most exquisite of flowering shrubs or small trees, is subject to the an- 
nual attack of a medium-sized, spiny slug that perforates the leaves 
with small round holes after reducing the greater number of them to 
mere lace-work. This species is single brooded, but the parent flies 
appear irregularly and larvai may often be found from the latter part 
of April until the end of May, in the interval seriously disfiguring, 
often killing, the foliage. It lives on the under side of the leaves and 
feeds chiefly at night. Full grown larvae from 9 to 12""" long, 8"'"' in 
diameter across the thoracic segments, form cylindrical, nearly equal 
throughout, or tapering slightly backward from thorax. Color green- 
ish-wliite, surface very rugose, dorsum and sides quite thickly beset 
with bifid spines, those on dorsum jet black, arising from velvety black 
s[)ots and being largest in the subdorsal region ; lateral spines pale. 
Head about one-half the diameter of thorax, almost spherical, jet black, 
immaculate. Legs, 22 in number, concolorous with general surface, 
and unusually well developed. With me it has proved a dilficult species 
to rear, and 1 confined the larvai for several successive seasons without 
getting a single fly, and last spring but two from a large number of 
larvii3 developed. In the rearing cage, after ceasing to feed, the larvae 
desert the leaves and wander restlessly around the cage, many of them 
dying without entering the ground. The few that transform inclose 
themselves in very brittle, nearly spherical cells "about an inch below 
the surface, and as with most other saw-fly larvae that enter the ground 
brook no disturbance during the quiescent period. The two flies that 
1 succeeded in rearing came out about the middle of April. 

Syringing the under sides of the leaves with a strong infusion of 
white hellebore, or with Paris green in liquid suspension, will kill the 
pests, with but little detriment to the foliage. 

DESCRIPTION OF THE LARVA AND PUPA OF PALTHIS ANGULALIS. 

Among the insects trapped last spring in loose cotton around the 
trunks of apple trees were a considerable number of a dingy-colored 
noctuid larva, about 1 centimeter in length by 4""" in diameter, of nearly 
equal width throughout, the segments appearing somewhat hunched to- 
gether. Surface rough, of an earthy-brown color, palest on dorsum. 
Under the lens, especially after being dropped in alcohol, a tinge of 
green appears, and the paler cast of the dorsal surface is resolved into 
a spreading V composed of minute white stippling. This is especially 
l)ronounced on the posterior segments, where the angle of the V is de- 
veloped into a papillate elevation. Head small, much retracted, dark 
brown ; legs and prolegs, and also to some extent the entire ventral sur- 
face, verdigris green. These larvjx; were found from the 1st to the 5th 



80 

of April, and, when ])liice(l in the cage with opening a[)[)le bnds, nibbled 
a little, but almost immediately changed to i^upte within a cluster of 
webbed leaves. Pupa smooth, dark brown, without any especially dis- 
tinguishing characters. Three imagines appeared April 24. They were 
of a si>ecies which had been long before determined for me as a Palthis 
angulalis. 

With the idea that possibly the immature stages of this insect had 
not previously been observed, 1 submit the above descrix)tious. 

INSECTICIDES. 

White arsenic in ammoniacal solution — 1 ounce arsenic to 1 quart aqua 
ammonia — one tablespoon ful of this to a gallon of water proved a 
failure in the case of most iusects, while it still scorched the leaves 
somewhat. 

A soda solution made on a smaller scale had much the same effect on 
the foliage of peach and plum trees, and was not, so far as could be 
observed, ethcieut in protecting the fruit from curculio. 

White arsenic in boiling water, the latter being only a partial sol- 
vent, in the proi)ortion of an ounce of arsenic to 20 gallons of water, 
was sprayed upon young peach and plum trees without injury to the 
ibliage. The frequent rains of the late spring and early summer ren- 
dered many of the applications futile in the case of the curculio and cod- 
ling moth. Paris green in liquid, 1 pound to 100 gallons of water, has 
been found the safest and most reliable insecticide for use against 
the canker-worm and codling moth. Its effects on insect life seem to 
be due not alone to the i)ercentage of arsenic, but to the general com- 
bination, while on vegetation it produces less injury than London pur- 
ple or any of the solutions of pure arsenic. 

In my somewhat limited experience the petroleum emulsions can not 
be excelled as a remedy for all species of scale insects, and when ap- 
plied according to instructions, do no appreciable injury to trees and 
shrubs. 

A'. 0. Dust. — Late in May I received from the Department a package 
of this new patented insecticide, with instructions to test its value on 
various injurious insects. It is to be applied full strength and claims 
to kill by contact and at the same time to be innoxious to man and the 
higher animals and to vegetable life. 

June I. — Applied the powder about 9 o'clock in the morning to Dory- 
phora larvii3 on potato, to late specimens of the rose-slug (Selandria 
rosw), to Ayhis persicct; on young peach and plum trees, and to Aphis 
sp. ? on chrysanthemums; also to young cabbages and radishes, on 
which flea beetles (Phyllotreta vittata and zimmcrmanni) were abundant 
and destructive. Three hours later visited these plants and noted fol- 
lowing results : Rose-slugs considerably affected, showing symptonis of 
sickness and paralysis and dropping from the leaves when jarred. 
Doriiphora larva' not seriously affected, only the smaller on".s had 
droi)ped, while some of those nearly grown continued feeding, appar- 



81 

cntly not inconvenienced by tlie dust that adhered to them. Flea 
beetles not killed, but evidently demoralized and deiserting rapidly. 
Its etiects on Aphididw were quite satisfactory. All species to which 
it had been applied seemed to be killed or paralyzed and had with- 
drawn tlieir beaks from the stems or leaves, and if they had not already 
fallen did so upon the slightest jar. At the same time Chrysopa and 
Coccinellid larva3 appeared but little, if any, injured, and were seen 
making their way to other hunting grounds ou which the game should 
not be so puugently spiced. Syrphustly larvae, however, did not 
escape, and all that received much of the dust were killed. 

At 7 in the evening more of the powder was distributed ou infested 
potatoes and ou all species of Aphis that could be reached. 

June 3. — The effects of the Dust on the Colorado potato-beetle are by 
no means so immediate and thorough as claimed iu the circulars of the 
manufacturers. Repeated applications would seem to be necessary to kill 
the larvtX3, while according to my experience the perfect beetle will live 
for days thoroughly dusted with the powder and inclosed in a box. At 
the same time it certainly does protect the plants to which it is applied, 
especially while fresh, by acting as a repellant. 

/September 10. — Tested the Dust on larvie of the cabbage butterfly 
which are beginning to be found again in cabbage fields. Used the 
insecticide in the open air, also ou a few full-grown larvi^ placed in 
iar, under nmsliu cover. 

September 15. — Plants dusted seem almost entirely free from worms, 
but several of the larvjc confined completed their first transformation 
without apparently receiving any injury from the powder. 

September lii. — Rei)eated these tests with powder taken from the bot- 
tom of the can and found that young Pieris larviie succumbed to its 
effects in two or three hours, while the larger larviv often lived more 
than twenty-four hours, not eating, however, iu the iueau time, but 
lingering in a lethargic state until dead. 

October 19. — Renewed these experiments on the latest brood of worms 
which are now to be found of all sizes on cabbages, turnips, and nastur- 
tiums. The immediate effect of the powder is to cause the larvt\3 to 
cease feeding and toss themselves about uneasily, making efforts to 
free themselves from the irritating substance. Two hours later all were 
in a lethargic state, many lying upon their sides in the folds of the leaves 
and ou the ground. They would squirm when touched, but gave no 
other sign of life. Twenty -four hours later all the small larv;t3 were 
dead ; the others that had passed the second molt still lived, but were 
inactive with a sickly color. Forty-eight hours afterward all were 
dead. From these tests and experiments I conclude that this X. O. 
Dust may be classed with reliable remedies for this and probably other 
Lepidopterous cabbage i)ests, its value being nearly equal to that of 
Pyre thrum powder. 

This remedy was also used oii Taruishcd Pluut-bug with the effect of 
23479— ]So. 22 G 



82 

driviiiij^ it from tlie dusted plants, although bugs confined in a box with 
it would survive several days. 

The little Ealticus liallkorim^ which was this year very troublesome, 
not only in the clover fields and vegetable gardens, on beans, cucumbers, 
etc., but was especially destructive to asters, was also routed by having 
this powder pufl'ed on the under side of the leaves; the young bugs were 
killed and the mature ones driven away. 

The Dust was further tested on a few late cut- worms, Agrotis saucia, 
Cel(V7ia renigera, and some other species which I can not name, but 
without much effect, as the powdered worms in the course of an hour 
all crawled out of the deep box in which they had been confined and 
escaped. 

All hairy larvte, as inthecaseof Pyrethrum, seemed insensible to its 
effects, so also did the striped and twelve-spotted cucumber beetles and 
other mature Coleoptera and the squash-bug. 

There are quite a number of injurious insects on which I did not have 
opportunity to use it, and on which I hope to experiment with it another 
season. 

From my experience with it this season I should rank it among the 
second-class insecticides, producing similar effects, but not quite equal 
to the California Buhach, but still valuable for use against certain in- 
sects on which it is not safe or ex])edient to employ the arsenates. 

NOTES ON PHYLLOXERA RILEYI FOR 1889. 

June 15. — Received instructions through Mr. Howard to collect and 
prepare specimens of Ph. rileyi in all its stages in tiuid and in balsam 
on microscopic slides. 

The post-oaks {Q. ohtusiloba), on which the insect chiefly occurs on 
the place, were found to be less abundantly infested than during other 
years. The first leaves which have attained their growth and are begin- 
ning to toughen are, however, considerably speckled with their punct- 
ures, especially along the midrib and principal veins. Very few besides 
the pale yellow, smooth, elongate forms are noticeable. 

Put up a number of infested leaves in alcohol reduced about 60 per 
cent, with water. (These I afterwards learned from Mr. Howard did not 
keep, the alcohol being perhaps too strong). I also prepared slides. 

July "22. — Have just returned from Minnesota. Sent slides on to 
Washington. Examined leaves of post-oak around home, but found no 
winged Phylloxera, and very little change in the specimens on the leaves 
during the last month. 

Among other insects preying on the aphis is (Ecanthus latipennis in 
noticeable numbers, one or more on the under side of nearly every leaf. 
They are now nearly full-grown larvse. The puzzle is how they come 
to be on the oaks, when I have never found their punctures in the twigs 
and when some of the trees are at quite a distance from raspberry or 
grape vines, in which they mostly deposit their eggs. 

July 29. — After driving about the country in several directions I 



fouud oil the roadside about a mile from town some post-oak sprouts 
on which Fhylloxera abounded in all stages of development. The pale 
smooth variety' was most numerous on the older and tougher leaves, 
while the darker, tubercled hirvte and pseudo-pupai and a few winged 
specimens crowded the unfolding second growth. The young leaves 
were much curled and distorted by their innumerable punctures. The 
aphids were preyed upon bj^ the larvte of the green Ghri/sopa and of 
one or two small Coccinellids ; the deep red larvie of a small Thrips was 
especiully active and numerous among them, as also was the whitish 
gray larva of a small bug (No. 3 of my consignment of October 2). 

Put up specimens on slides and sent some alive to Mr. Howard in 
tubes ; also some in alcohol. I also placed winged individuals in three 
different sizes of tubes and on clean leaves in water in a glass jar. 

August 3. — ISTotwithstanding all my care all the winged lice perished 
without leaving any eggs, to my great disappointment. Probably the 
extreme heat of the weather was unfavorable. Cleaned and disinfected 
my tubes and put in fresh winged forms and closed the tubes with loose 
cotton instead of cork to prevent excess of moisture. 

August 3. — Another failure. All the specimens dead and molded 
and no eggs. I can not understand it. 

August 15. — Made another excursion out into the country and suc- 
ceeded in obtaining a very few. Nearly all the young oaks so badly 
infested two weeks ago are entirely cleared, probably by the migration 
of the winged forms and the destruction of eggs and wingless forms by 
predatory insects. The tender shoots are also killed and stand up stiff 
and dry ; the drought being severe, there was no opportunity for them 
to recover from the attacks of the aphis. 

On the lower mature leaves the insect still abounds in its wingless 
forms, mostly the flat, pale, smooth variety. Put seven of the winged 
aphis into a very small tube with a bit of mature oak-leaf and closed it 
tightly with common cork. (The rubber corks kill all insects inclosed 
with them very shortly, probably with their sulphurous emanations.) 
Also put about a half dozen on growing sprouts of oak, out of doors, 
but which seemed to be entirely free from infection, inclosed under fine 
muslin cover. 

August 17. — Have at last succeeded in getting nine eggs in the small 
tube. These eggs do not differ much from those of the ordinary apter- 
ous form. On close comparison they seem rather more opai^ue and of 
a deeper yellow tint than the latter, but even in these particulars there 
is some variation. Each individual produces from one to three eggs; 
and usually perishes beside them. 

August 21. — Eggs still healthy and beginning to show segmentation 
with two red eye-spots on the cephalic end. There is evidently a slip- 
ping backward of the thin pellicle that incloses them, although as yet 
no motion is discoverable. The eggs were all laid on the glass ajid not 
on the portion of the leaf inclosed with them. 

August 22. — Three Phylloxera have hatched from the eggs and one 



84 

bas cniwied quite a distance. The e^g-shells or pellicles are left as an 
almost transparent round dot at the place of hatching'. Nearly all the 
substance of the eg^ seems to be absorbed into the young aphis. In- 
serted a bit of fresh young leaf, but they do not seem to be attracted to 
it, and remain crawling on the glass. 

August 23. — Two more have hatched. They appear all alike so far as 
can be ascertained with a lens. Three were sacrificed for microscopic 
examination. Have the specimens under almost constant observation, 
but am not able to find them pairing or exhibiting any sexual attrac- 
tion. Neither can I induce them to feed on even the tenderest bits of 
leaf. They appear precisely like the parthenogenetic forms through 
my lens, which is not sufiSciently powerful to resolve the mouth parts 
and genitalia. 

September 1. — Only two still alive and no eggs. Transferred the sur- 
vivors as carefully as possible to fresh leaf and placed in clean tube. 

Examined inclosed leaves ont of doors but could detect neither eggs 
nor larv^ie. It is an almost impossible task to keep track of such micro- 
scopic creatures in the open air. 

The wingless lice have now become quite abundant on all our post- 
oaks. I do not find them on the white oak proper, but as I have ex- 
amined them almost daily since the middle of July I am confident that 
none of the winged individuals occurred on any of the oaks on the 
place. I believe they never do occur in any numbers except on the 
more succulent growth of sprouts where living trees have been cut. 

September 10.— All my progeny of winged lice have perished without 
leaving a single Qgg. Made another excursion into the country but 
obtained only two or three winged individuals which I put in tube, but 
of which I do not entertain much hope. 

On one of the leaves out of doors, isolated about a month ago, I find by 
critical examination a very few minute specimens which are probably 
the progeny of the winged forms inclosed. Put some in balsam, though 
I can not see that they differ from the other wingless young on exposed 
leaves. 
" September 15.— No success with the last inclosure in tube. 

October 25. — Have had one or two quite hard frosts. Leaves all 
turned in color, and Fhylloxera becoming very active, congregating 
along principal veins and migrating on to the twigs. Their insect ene- 
mies have mostly disappeared and I notice that eggs are more plentiful 
than usual on the leaves. 

From my observations this year I incline to the opinion that the 
winged form is necessary merely for the spread of the species, and that 
the young from the eggs of this form are not necessarily true-sexed 
individuals, although it is possible that these may occur without any 
especial regularity from the eggs of both winged and wingless forms. 
Another year, if nothing happens to prevent, I will try to have some 
oaks in flower pots for more convenient and natural colonization of the 
Phi/lloxenij and for greater ease in examiuatiou. 



REPORT ON CALIFORNIA INSECTS. 



r>y Albert Korhelr, Special Agent. 



LKTTEU OK TRANSMITTAL. 

Alameda, Cal. Oc<o7wr2r), 1889. . 
Sir: I hcrewifh subniitiiiy report upon observjvtiona niiulo and work done since 
my return from Australi.i. 

After returninj;- to Alameda ou April If), some time was taken up in writinji; ont 
my reports upon work done in Australia, and also in assisting in raisfng and distrib- 
uting iu the northern part of this State the Australian Ladybird-enemy of the Icerya. 
'I'his Ladybird does remarkably good and speedy work everywhere. As usual my chief 
work has been the breeding and studying of all insects, injurious and otherwise, that 
have come under my notice, the special notes on which will accompany material that 
will be sent iu. 

Respectfully, 

Albert Koebele. 
Prof. C. V. Riley, 

U. S. Entomoh/jifit. 



THE MADRONA TREE BORER. 

(Polycnon confertus Lcc.) 

This destructive beetle occnrs to a greater or less extent every spring 
and summer upon various fruit-trees, vines, etc., boring into the fresh 
wood and destroying it. During my stay in the Santa Cruz Mountains 
the past summer they were observed everywhere, and most abundantly 
during May and June. On any dead tree, as soon as the leaves begin 
to fade, this beetle may be found, though always most abundantly upon 
the Madrona tree {Arbutus mcnziesii). Old trees of this species, such as 
have been allowed to lay on the ground for a year or two, are always 
completely perforated with holes from which these beetles have made 
their exit. In cutting through, one finds the wood nothing but mines 
produced by tlie larva% the mines generally running lengthwise, butoften 
crossing each other. The Madrona tree seems to be the ordinary if not 
the only plant in which the beetle breeds. Notwithstanding that the 
mature insect bores in almost any kind of fresh wood, and especially 
favors such as has been somewhat injured by the hot sun, the larva is 

85 



86 

not, or has never yet been, found in such places. It is the general be- 
lief here that it breeds in the wood of Oak, yet, so far as my experience 
goes, its larvje are never found in other than the Madrona wood. It is 
very remarkable, iu view of the above, that they should live and trans- 
form within apples from which this beetle has been bred. 

On August 2, 1887, at St. Heleua, Cal., a large number of the nearly 
grown apples upon trees iu a private garden were observed to be dead 
and yellowish brown. One of these, taken to Alameda and exam- 
ined, proved to contain a small whitish Coleopterous larva. This was 
living and thriving on the dead and dry apple until April 16, 1888, 
when it transformed to a pupa, from which the mature beetle issued on 
April 28. (Since then no infested apples have been observed, nor have 
I seen any of the large fruit in the condition described above. The 
work of these beetles was witnessed in the Santa Cruz Mountains May 
25, 1888, chiefly upon grapes and plums, yet they will attack olives and 
other trees as well. In many cases the shoots of grapes are cut off 
entirely and fiill to the ground, where either one or both sexes may be 
found at work. In one case I noticed a i)lum tree the northern branches 
of which were entirely destroyed. The beetle will often make several 
holes into the center of a branch before entering; no doubt being com- 
pelled to leave on account of the copious flow of sap. Seven such holes 
were found iu one branch, in the lowermost of which the beetle had 
entered and formed a tunnel of about 3 inches in length. On the other 
branches, aside from the many holes started, but two tunnels were 
found and no iusects were present. This will show that one of tbese 
beetles alone is capable of disfiguring an entire tree, while two or three 
specimens can destroy a tree. 

As a remedy, the recommendation of clearing and burning the dead 
Madrona wood alone would certainly have a most remarkable effect 
iu reducing the numbers of this beetle. 

(Chrysohothris mali Horn.) 

The larva of this Buprestid is very destructive to currant bushes. 
It is found in the Santa Cruz Mountains, at least in such numbers as 
to destroy all tLie plants. Indeed, it is impossible to raise this fruit in 
that district ou account of this insect. They have not been observed 
as yet in the valleys, where in their place uEgeria tipuliformis Linn, is 
more uuujerously represented upon this plant than in the hills. As 
many as fifteen or even twenty Bui^restid larv?e may be found within a 
single plant, the stems of which naturally die and break off near the 
ground. The beetle is found most abundantly during June and July, 
when they can be seen resting on the plants generally near the ground 
during sunshine. It is then that they lay their eggs ou the lower part 
of the branches and close to the ground where most of the larv:e are 
found. Eggs are also placed at a height of 2 feet, or even more, ac- 
cording to the size of the plant, ami below the ground to the depth of 



87 

several inches. Where the hirviTP are very nii!nerous the plants will die 
before the larvie are grown, and most of the latter will perish ; orfly 
such as are situated near or below tbe ground will survive. Empty 
pupie of two species of parasites were observed within the burrows of 
the larv;e, both apparently belonging to the Ichneumonidie. 

As a remedy, the collecting of the beetles may be recommended. Dur- 
ing early morning and evening they may be found either on the cur- 
rant bushes or the surrounding trees, almost always at rest on and 
within dry and dead leaves from which they can be shaken into an 
umbrella. During their operations upon the plants in the day-time it is 
diiticuit to get near them as they are very quick on the wing and ex- 
ceedingly shy. Collecting and burning the infested plants during 
winter, and also the whitewashing of lower parts of plants may have a 
good effect ; this should be done about the end of May. 

{Diabrotica soror Lee.) 

This beetle occurs occasionally in such numbers as to become ex- 
(;eedingly destructive to fruits and vegetables. As yet the earlier stages 
have not been studied. All attempts to get eggs and larva? have so 
far been a failure on my part as well as on the part of other entomol- 
ogists." A large number of the beetles were kept in confinement for 
weeks with various living plants without any results. The larva, without 
doubt, will be found to have the same habits as the other species of the 
the group, — feeding upon roots of various plants. Fortunately this 
insect is preyed upon by a dipterous larva, which without doubt de- 
stroys the greater number of them, in certain years at least. As early as 
1S8G, while at Los Angeles, Mr. Alexander Craw, of that city, showed 
both Mr. Coquillett and myself the larva infesting this beetle. I did 
not succeed inbreeding the same until June last, and Mr. Coquillett re- 
ports recently of his partial success in this particular.* 

THE TENT- CATERPILLARS. 

{Clisiocampa spp. ) 

From year to year these worms become more and more numerous 
upon fruit trees. Mr. Stretch in his paper on the genust cites six species 
as occurring on this coast, — G. callfornica Packard, as feeding upon 
Qnercus agrifoUa; C. fragilis, Stretch, from Nevada; C. constricta, 
Stretch, on Qnercus coyiomensis; C. strigosa, Stretch, from Yosemite 
Valley ; C. erom, Stretch, from Oregon ; and G. thoracica, Stretch, as 
feeding upon Willow. The genus, however, seems to be far more nu- 
merously represented. In addition to this I have bred one species from 
the Sierra Nevada Mountains upon Geanothus and wild cherry (Prunufi 
demissa); a second species was found to be very abundant in Los An- 



^ Insect Life, Vol. II, No. 3, p. 74. 
t Papilio, Vol. I, No. 5, pp. G:]-()t). 



88 

jjelcs County upon a species of Oak ; a third species was bred in tlie Santa 
Cruz Mountains feeding originally upon Ccanothus thyrsijiorns, but it 
was extremely abundant also upon fruit-trees, especially prunes and 
plums. I also found eggs of one of these moths in Shasta Valley upon 
a species of wild Currant. Of all the species the most abundant upon 
fruit-trees was C. thoracica, originally feeding upon Willow. This 
species defoliated most of the trees in Napa and Sonoma Counties last 
year. On my visit to Sonoma County this month (October), I found 
numerous old skins still present everywhere upon apple trees. They 
were either G. thoracica or G. constricta, — thet;e two larva', resembling 
each other somewhat. Fortunately the eggs as well as the larvje are 
preyed upon by numerous parasites. Professor Kivers, of Berkeley, in- 
formed me that of one egg-mass of G. constricta each egg produced a 
small hymenopterons parasite. I have myself bred something similar 
from egg-masses on Geanothus cordulatus. The old remedy* will be 
found best, viz, cut off and burn the egg-clusters during the winter, 
and collect and burn tiie nests in spring. 

OUT WORMS. 

Various Noctuid larvae are usually numerous and destructive to 
orchards, vineyards, grain, and vegetables during spring, attacking the 
young foliage, twigs, and even fruit of trees, while in vineyards they 
often defoliate large numbers of the vines. As yet 1 have never been 
able to obtain any specimens of these larvte from the injured field for 
breeding. Dr. Behr, of San Francisco, has shown me one larva that 
had been received from Santa Cruz, where they injure the vines ; he did 
not, however, succeed in breeding them and the species is as yet not 
known. The larva? bore the closest resemblance to those of Agrotis 
messoria Harris {cocliranU Riley ),t yet many of these Agrotid larva? 
resemble each other so closely that their distinction can not be made 
with any certainty. A similar insect, if uot the same, was bred from 
the eggs. (No. 37Sk). During September and the first of October, 
1887, many of these moths came to sugar at Alameda, and were at the 
time the most common of all so collected. A number of them were con- 
fined in boxes but no eggs could be obtained until the middle of Octo- 
ber. The eggs were of a straw-yellow color at first and after ten days 
changed to a dark grayish color, showing that the embryo had come to 
maturity. The young larviu, however, did not come out before the 
rains set in, December 8, at which date they began to issue and con- 
tiiuied to appear into January, 1888. They were kept and fed in a room 
and attained full growth in about five weeks, pupating at the end of 
March and issuing as moths one month later. This i)eculiarity of 
hibernating either in Qgg, larva, or i)upa state during the dry season 
has been observed in numerous other insects in California, which are 

•Professor Riloy's Tliird Missouri Report, p. 120. t Ihid, pi>. 74-70. 



89 

depoiulcnt upon sucli plants as arc dried up from July until the rains 
set in, oeiierally October or November. I will give here the history of 
one of these: 

Agrotis crennlnta. Smith. — On September 29, 1S87, one pair of these 
moths was found about 10 p. m. in coitu on the upper side of a leaf of 
Quercus ayrifolia at Alameda. The female began to lay her eggs the 
following day and continued until October 10, after which she died. On 
counting it was found that the number of eggs was 1,02G. The young 
larviv began to issue on October 12. They are, when full grown, very sim- 
ilar to those of A. clandestina* for which they were taken before being 
bred. Naturally all such larvic grow very slowly during the winter 
months, and reach their full growth about March, when they may be 
found most anywhere amongst grass, grain, or vegetables. Their chief 
food, however, consists of grasses. From larvte that entered the ground 
in breeding cages on March 12, the first moth came out on April IC. 
In a state of nature it would be about the same probably, allowing for 
a week's variation either way in the appearance of the moths according 
to the situation of the chrysalids. The moths are found from April to 
July, being most abundant during May and June, at least in localities 
where food is sufficient. In the Santa Cruz Mountains they were ob- 
served to appear soon after dark upon the flowers of yEsculns californicus 
(Buckeye), and could be seen in numbers every night until the flowers 
disappeared ; in other localities, where flowers and natural food are not 
so abundant, they may retire sooner into their hibernating quarters. 
During June, 1886, I found them very abundant in a deep, shady caiiou 
in Los Angeles County, amongst leaves, flying up at my approach and 
settling down a short distance off. On my visit to the same locality 
one month later not one moth was seen on the wing. But if at this 
time one searches closer down amongst the dead and damp leaves they 
will be found in a semi-dormant state. After being exposed a short 
time they soon fly off to a dark corner and disappear again. In such 
condition they were observed all last summer in the Santa Cruz Mount- 
ains. In open country, distant from woods, they may occasionally be 
found hidden under or between boards or in old stumps, rubbish, etc. 
They prefer, however, to hide in the woods amid the dead leaves found 
there. As in other parts the warm rays of the sun in the spring awaken 
many of the hibernating insects, so here the first rains in fall will do 
the same, especially with the Noctuidaj. 

NOTES ON THE HABITS OF THE CODLING MOTH AND ITS ENEMIES 
AND PARASITES IN CALIFORNIA. 

During my repeated visits to the Santa Cruz Mountains the past sum- 
mer some observations were made upon the Codling Moth and its ene- 
mies which may be of interest. The moth as a rule is double-brooded 
in that locality, and no doubt will not differ in its habits to any extent 

* Professor Riley's First Missouri Report, p. 79. 



90 

throughout California. They may appear somewhat earlier in the val- 
leys. From dates noted in 1887 some of the moths were out on April 
22 at Santa Clara, and one larva found then did not produce the moth 
until May 10. Two days after this they were also observed flying at 
Alameda. One larva found under bark of pear tree at Los Angeles on 
July 19, 1886, and evidently of the first brood, did not produce the moth 
until the end of April the following year. During August, 1887, the 
moths were abundant at Alameda ; on the 2d of the month a cocoon 
was found about 8 feet from the trunk of the tree, under a fallen 
apple, from which the larva had issued. The moth from this appeared 
on the 13th of the same month. Two days later, on a hot and sunny 
day, while walking through an old apple orchard at 10 p. m., moths 
started up either from the trunk or lower leaves of nearly every tree 
and settled down again, generally higher up and on the upper side of 
leaves exposed to the sun. 

Larvai and chrysalids were found in abundance the same day, and 
from one of the latter a parasite issued on August 26. This proved to 
be Pimpla annuUpcs. Up to September 17 moths issued from the chrys- 
alids ; one larva that pupated during this month did not, however, pro- 
duce the moth until December 10. During 1888 the first moth was ob- 
served at Alameda as early as March 17, sitting on the upper side of 
an orange leaf exposed to the sun. But very few of the apple trees 
were in bloom at this time. Two days later moths began to issue in the 
house from larviie collected the previous December. Several issued up 
to March 28. The present season the moths were not observed in any 
numbers before May 25 in the Santa Cruz Mountains. The fruit at this 
time was about 1 inch in diameter. From this date on until the end of 
June there could be seen at dusk from 25 to 50 on each tree. The 
place is situated on the east side of the hills. About a half hour after 
the sun disappeared behind the mountains, and while it was yet visi- 
ble for nearly that length of time on the opposite hills, the moths be- 
gan to appear, flying with quick movements around the trees, chiefly 
near the top, and settling down again upon the leaves or fruit from 
time to time. This was kept up until towards dark when they became 
less numerous. During this time both sexes may be readily collected 
with a long butterfly-net. I have taken many near the ground on the 
lower leaves and often distant from fruit trees. By their peculiar flight 
they are easily distinguished from any other si)ecies of moths. 

About the middle of August, at which time some of the fruit had 
already been taken ott', the second brood made its appearance, yet at this 
time many larvae could still be found within the infested fruit, and from 
material collected then and taken to Alameda, moths came out in num- 
bers until September 12. I was informed that Bartlett pears taken 
from the trees when the second brood had made its appearance were 
all sound, not one in tvventy being wormy. On examination, however, 
I found the opposite to be the case. About one pear in twenty only was 



91 

found without any eggs or traces of young larvjie of Oarpocapsa, the 
second brood having already begun its destructive work. From these 
few notes it is evident that with a little care early fruit cau be kept 
almost free from the attacks of the worms, while with later sorts this 
becomes more difficult, and such fruit generally is rendered useless by 
the attacks of the second brood, and is fed to pigs. 

Enemies. — Enemies of the Codling Moth appear to be quite abundant 
in California already. I have indeed been surprised in finding minute 
Chalcids infesting the eggs.* These are not numerous, and had not 
been observed on eggs of the first brood, yet they may have been pres- 
ent. In fourteen boxes of Bartlett pears examined on August 20 and 
21, about seventy parasitized eggs were found, and about an equal 
number from which the parasites had issued} no doubt some were over- 
looked. But few of the pears showed traces of worms of the first brood, 
yet nearly all contained eggs of the second brood and very often more 
than one. As many as eleven eggs were found upon a single pear. 
One was found on the stem, six on the pear surrounding the stem, two 
on the upper half and the other two near the calyx. Of these, two con- 
tained parasites, one of which had issued, two were still fresh, and the 
rest had hatched. I should note here that the pears had been taken off 
three days previously. In other pears with less eggs, as many as three 
and even four young larvies were found. The eggs found upon pears 
were most numerous near the stem, the others almost invariably on the 
upper surface of fruit, and but very few on the lower part or calyx. It 
was also observed that the young larva? very rarely enter the fruit 
where an egg is deposited, but generally somewhat lower down, and in 
many instances instead of going to the center they leave their first mine 
after a few days and enter at the open calyx. On apples it appears 
they will ofteuer enter the fruit from the sides. 

Many of the eggs of the first brood were destroyed by some enemy, 
what I could not learn. They had a brownish and shrunken appearance, 
and it is probable that they were destroyed by the Chrysopa larva?, 
which were present in numbers upon the trees at the time. With the 
exception of these and the Coccinellid larva? no other insects were ob- 
served in numbers likely to destroy the eggs. This was not observed 
to be the case with eggs of the second brood, at which time the pre- 
daceous larviB mentioned had disappeared. The other three parasites 
bred during the summer are all from the chrysalids. The most efficient 
destroyer of Carpocapsa, however, is a small bat which is always in 
search of the moths, appearing somewhat later than the latter, but 
keeping up its chase until dark, when apparently the moths cease their 
flight and the bats go off in search of other food. Every night during 
June as many as six of these bats were to be seen flying around an 
isolated apple tree upon which there were a large number of the moths, 
not only taking the Carpocapsa on the wing, but very often darting at a 

*This parasite is a species of the <i;einis Tricho(iramma.—C . V. R. 



92 

loaf to rret iho restinjx motli. Of not loss valno is tlio larva of a Nou- 
ropterous iiisoct, a Kaphidia, which is present in nnnibers. Its longf 
and flat structure together with its activeness enables it to hunt up any 
larva that may bo present under bark or in crevices of the tree. 

Not only is the larva devoured but the chrysalis likewise, and with- 
out doubt often the mature moth. It was indeed very hard work to 
find any larva3 or pupa^ of Carpocapsa upon trees where the larva; of 
Kaphidia were present, and the latter occurred upon nearly every tree. 
As a rule, not more two or three could be found upon one tree by break- 
ing off all the loose bark and examining the crevices, and often none at 
all. These larva; are always on the lookout for food, crawling up and 
down the trees, but being chiefly concealed by the bark. Away from 
the trunk of the tree, however, more larvw are found. An old and partly 
decayed stump or piece of wood lying anywhere near an infested tree will 
always be full of thein ; and, as has before been pointed out, many of 
the larvio of the first brood, at least, spin up in the dry ground. I will 
again refer to the Dermostid larv;c mentioned before, not only as de- 
stroying the pupa of Carpocapsa but likewise the larva, during the 
summer season at least. Many apparently sound cocoons when cut 
open will be shown to contain larviie and skins of some of these beetles. 
The contents have been devoured while there is no visible hole in the 
cocoon, showing that the larva had entered while young. This alone 
would not be sufficient evidence, but I have also found small larvae of 
Trogoderma tarsale within the cocoons, and with the larva?,, dead and 
living, of Carpocapsa. 

In two instances the half dead Carpocapsa larva? showed small holes 
in their sides which had partly healed up. Those no doubt wore made 
by the Dermestid larva?, which as a rule feed upon dry insect remains, 
and only kill living larvfe gradually by feeding upon the skin only at 
first. In many cases they were found with larva? that had recently 
died, having already undergone several molts within the cocoons of the 
hist larvio. They are very abundant, especially around Alameda, as 
many as four or five large larv;ie being often found within the cocoon and 
feeding upon the dead pupa of Leuearctin acraia. In almost any old 
egg-mass of Orgyia they are found. Whether they will feed upon the 
eggs or not I have as yet no evidence. Insect collections are not as 
much troubled by these beetles in California, especially in the valleys, 
as in the Eastern States. I have often observed them, however, to in- 
fest collections in the mountainous districts. A coleopterous (Clerid?) 
larva was recently found in the Sonoma Valley feeding upon Carpo- 
capsa, but has not yet boon bred. Numerous Carabid booties wore 
always found at the base of trees awaiting their chance to get a bite at 
the Carpocapsa larvii?. The most numerous of those were Fterostichus 
caHfornicuH I)oj. and Galafhvs ruflcollis Doj. A bright light with a 
white shoot below and behind was kept burning near the orchard in the 
Santa Cruz Mountains while the moths wore abundant. One female 



93 

only was caii;;ht in this about one liour after dusk. Never before dur- 
inj^- my fourteen years of collecting moths with lights, sweeps, etc., 
have I, within my memory, collected a single Carpocapsa. 

THE HESSIAN FLY. 
( Cecidomyia destructor. ) 

This insect has been quite abundant aud destructive to grain in the 
central i)art of the State during the season. A Mt. Edeu correspond- 
ent wrote to the Oaldand Engineer.^ May 2, as follows : 

The Hessian Uy has clone irreparable damage to the grain iu this vicinity. There 
has been hardly a tield tliat has not been attacked. The prospect for a large barley 
crop is very good. The wheat crop will be a comparative failure. What is left from 
the Hessian tiy is being destroyed by the rust. 

Personally, until this spring, I have had no opportunity Of making 
any observations upon this insect. On May 20, while in the Santa 
Cruz Mountains, it was noticed that some of the barley had fallen 
to the ground. On examination, puparia of the Hessian fly were found 
in places where the straw was fallen. The insect was found at the time 
in all stages from young larvjD to puparia, and some of the latter had re- 
cently hatched. From puparia collected at the time, flies made their 
appearance until the beginning of July. Other puparia collected 
about July 1 have not hatched up to date, and the insects are still in 
the larval state within the puparia. A few specimens of parasites 
( Merisus destructor) were bred from these, and from the same straws 
several specimens of an Tsosonia. 

During September, 1887, 1 found puparia, which I took to be those of 
the Bessian fly, on two species of grasses near here. These were for- 
warded to Washington, where they arrived in good condition, as stated 
in letter of October 3d, and the grasses were determined as Elymus 
americanus and Agrostis sp. Again during the summer I found the 
puparia upon several species of grasses in the Santa Cruz Mountains. 
I shall be prepared next season to give a list of grasses upon which the 
Hessian fly is found, and also more accurate notes as to the habits of 
this insect, which, as it would appear, is a very old resident of this coast. 

JOINT-WORMS. 

{Isosoma sp.) 

These insects have been abundant and destructive in most wheat- 
growing sections, and they will continue to be numerous until stricter 
measures are employed for burning the straw and stubble. 

LOCUSTS. 

These did not appear in any large numbers except in the northern 
part of the State and, from some accounts, in Oregon. On my visit to 
Shasta Valley, Siskiyou County, at the end of July, locusts were no- 



94 

ticedia large numbers north of Edgewood and throughout thatvallej^ 
At Montague I was informed that, on account of the unusually dry sea- 
son and the crickets and grasshoppers, the crop had been an entire 
failure in that district. Around this latter place no vegetation except 
a few sage-bushes were visible. Along the creeks, where a little grass 
and vegetation was still growing, the locusts were swarming. Dissos- 
teira obliterata Thos. was abundant throughout the valley. Even in 
places where for a half a mile not a shrub or any dry plant was visible 
they appeared to be happy, but were seen abundantly along water- 
courses and places still afibrding some food. Ifelanoplus cincrens Scuild. 
was more numerously represented iu places where food was still to be 
had, even if dry. But few specimems of M. femur-ruhrum DeGeer 
were seen, while M. paclcardii Scudd. was the most abundant of all, 
feeding upon grasses along streams, and in all the meadows, where it 
outnumbers all the other species put together. Here they were often 
observed, always the female, caught in the web of a large spider, which 
feeds upon them. 

M. devastator Scudd. was not met with throughout the summer, while 
Camnula pellucida Scudd. was only seen occasionally in the places vis- 
ited Another numerous species in the Shasta Valley was Hesperotettix 
pacificus Bruner, but this was found feeding upon sage-bushes only. 
About eight other species ^f locusts were found at Montague, of which 
Dissosteira Carolina Linn., Trimerotropis fallax Sauss., Conozora^ ical- 
lula Scudd., and Stenobothrus coloradus Thos., were the most abundant. 
Two species of large crickets have been very numerous at Montague 
also joining iu the destructive work — Anabrus simplex (?) llald., and the 
other a species of Steiroxis. The common cricket, Gryllus hictuosus 
Serv., was abundant in the central part of the State, often coming iu 
larce numbers into cities and into houses. 



REPORT ON NEBRASKA INSECTS. 



By Lawkknce Bkuner, Special Agent. 



LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL. 

Lincoln, Nebr., Nor. 20, 1889. 

Sli:: In in(!siMitiiig a report on the insect injuries iu Nebraska for the past spring 
and suninier, it is not my intention to mention all the species that have been observed 
in tlie act of depredating. Neither do I expect to enter upon a discussion of their 
life histories. To do this would require altogether too much time and occupy con- 
sidtu-able more space than could be allotted to such insects as have been repeatedly 
described in your various reports upon injurious insects. Suffice it, then, for me to 
mention briefly a few of the species that most attracted my attention, either bj'^ their 
appearance in unusual numbers, their more than ordinary injuries, or by their pecul- 
iar mode of attack. 

During the year most of the well-known species that are always present in more or 
less injurious numbers, were noticed at their regular seasons of appearance. These 
were, of course, expected; and, unless either very numerous or scarce, were but little 
noticed. Aside from these, few new or original observations were made during the 
active season ; but several new enemies were observed to act iu connection with old 
and well-known forms. 

Since my last report, some time has been devoted to the ^m(7i(?a' of North America, 
iu the continuance of our work upon that family of the order Orthoptera. The latter 
work was chiefly iu the line of looking up the matter of distribution, the character- 
izing of new material, and the massing of such additional species as could conven- 
iently be obtained without expense to the Department. Some little was also done in 
this connection iu the study of several minor locust outbreaks in different parts of 
the country, as, for example, in Utah, Minnesota, and the White Mountain district of 
the New England States. Of these different outbreaks you already h. a vo been ad- 
vised ; Mr. Otto Lugger, of the Minnesota Experiment Station, reporting on that of 
his State; Mr. C. L. Marlatt, that of New Hampshire, and myself upon that of Utah. 

Lawrence Bruner. 

Prof. C. V. Riley, 

U. S. Entomologist. 



FALSE CHINCH BUGS. 

Early in the year, during the month of May, two or threespecies of small 
hemipterous insects began to gather upon several farms just outside 
the city limits of Lincoln. The.se appeared in much larger numbers 
than is usual for the insects under consideration ; and from their size, 

US 



96 

order, and general ap])earance were inistaUen for the chincll-bllf?(/lifi6r(>- 
j>^^s leiicopteruti) by many of the residents. Tliis mistaken identity in 
the case of these insects was the occasion for ninch ai)preheusion, as it 
well might have been had that insect pnt in its api)earance in such 
great numbers so early in the year. These " false chinch-bugs," for 
such they were, began work by attacking the weeds and everything 
else that was green growing in the fields which were infested. The 
weeds soon disappeared and the insects transferred their attention 
to apple, catalpa, mulberry, and other smalltrees. But by far the great- 
est injury was done to grape-vines. They were all small, and were kept 
divested of every vestige of new growth for a time, and looked as if 
the vines never would be green. 

The three insects which united in these demonstrations were the fol- 
lowing: the False Chinch-])ug {Nysins afif/utitatus), the Purslane bug 
{Gcocoris hullata), and a species that is (juite common here in the West 
among various rank-growing herbs and weed-like plants, and is known 
to the entomologist as Trapezonotus 7iehulosus. 

The first named of these was by far the most numerous, and if work- 
ing singly would have occasioned nearly the same amount of damage 
as did the three. The second and the last named were present in 
nearly equal numbers, perhaps the last being the commoner of the two. 
All three species gathered upon the main stems and larger branches of 
the trees and even in clusters upon the scattered remnants of the last 
year's vegetation, They were pretty well scattered over the fields, but 
appeared to be most numerous upou some hill-slopes where they had 
been attracted during early spring and late fall by the warm sunshine. 
These clusters of bugs were composed of individuals of all ages and 
sizes, ranging from those apparently but a few days old to those fully 
matured and winged. An* investigation soon disclosed the reason for 
their abundance in this particular locality. Last year these fields had 
been permitted to grow up in weeds after the spring cultivation. These 
weeds, purslane, tickle-grass, stink-grass, and tumble-weeds, made a 
splendid retreat for the bugs to gather, feed, and breed in, and afterwards 
to winter in. The present spring being dry weeds and grasses were slow 
in starting. Not so with the bugs. Eggs were laid at the usual time, 
these hatched and the little bugs soon exhausted what green vegeta- 
tion there was for them to feed upon, and which was very slow in ap- 
pearing on account of lack of the necessary amount of moisture. The 
trees and vines being dee|)er rooted sent out their buds and green leaves. 
These attracted the hungry hordes of bugs, and were at once attacked 
in bud, leaf, and stem, the bugs inserting their beaks and extracting 
the sap. The consequence was the injury spoken of above. 

As a remedy against the destruction of the grapevines I suggested 
covering the vines, which were small ones, with dirt for a week or ten 
days until weeds had an opportunity to grow, after which time there 
would no longer be danger, and as a preventive for the future to keep 
dowu the weeds iu late summer, especially w^heu the season is adr;y one. 



97 

111 habit these three bugs resemble the Chiuch Bug to a considerable 
degree, ouly that they are earlier iu their egg-layiug, and that their 
food-plants are weeds and other herbaceous plants, rather than grasses. 
They also move about on the wing iu a similar manner to that of the 
Micropus leucopterus. Last spring, on one day in particular, the air was 
full of these and other small hemipterous insects. At just what date 
this llight occurred I do not remember now, but know it was during the 
month of May. 

The three species referred to above iu connection with the injuries 
recorded, all occur upon ground that has been neglected and allowed 
to grow up to purslane and Amaranthus. The two latter named are 
also occasionally found about smart-weed {Folygonum) during late 
summer and fall, while the first mentioned is also inclined to be par- 
tial to "stink" grass at times. 

CUT-WORMS. 

Scarcely a year passes without a report of damages from cut-worms 
in various parts of the country. Here in Nebraska quite a large num- 
ber of the night-flying moths belonging to the genera Agrotis, Hadeua, 
Mamesira, etc., are often the cause of much worry and not infrequently 
the loss of much time and money to the farmer and gardener. 

At about the same time that the bugs mentioned above were the most 
plentiful and doing their injury to trees, vines, etc., the reports of cut- 
worm depredations began coming in to the station from various districts 
within and without the city limits. These reports included injuries to 
both garden and field crops, and from the fact that they were received 
from widely separated localities, the pest was quite general over the 
eastern part of the State. Specimens of at least a half dozen distinct 
species of the worms were received by me, along with the statement 
that they were the authors of the injury. Among these I recognized 
Agrotis annexa, A. suffusa, A. messoria, A. saucia, and A. clandestina. 

So abundant were several species of these worms that they literally 
cultivated the ground at places where they burrowed during day- 
time. Nor did the worms content themselves with feeding upon culti- 
vated plants alone, but also, in many instances, kept down the weeds. 
Here in the city of Lincoln, upon a vacant square that had been used 
by the boys as a base-ball ground, and where the ordinary "pepper-grass" 
was growing in profusion, the Agrotis annexa finally succeeded in clear- 
ing the ground of this weed. So voracious did the worms become be- 
fore maturity that the pepper-grass was even cut off and the stems 
drawn into their retreats in the ground, where they might be devoured 
during day-time. On cloudy days the worms even ventured forth 
to feed openly by daylight, scurrying back into their holes when the sun 
came out for a moment. In the hard trampled ground their holes were 
smooth-cut and presented a very interesting sight indeed when the occu- 
pants issued forth and (piickly returned upon the least disturbance, like 
23479— No. 22 7 



1)8 

some iiiiiimil of greater intelligence. The larva of this [)articular spe- 
cies of Agr Otis is exceedingly active, reminding one not a little of some 
of the chipmunks among the rodents. 

A second species that much interested me is the larva of an Ayrotis sp. 
that was exceedingly numerous upon the college farm and adjoining tracts 
to the eastw«ard of the city. This latter worm worked on various plants 
in the garden, but on the farm showed decided taste for clover, llere 
it literally "lived in clover" in large numbers. The different kinds of 
clover growing in the experimental plats suffered much. It was here 
that one of the instances above cited of cut-worms cultivating the soil 
occurred. 

The remedies used against these different cut- worms varied somewhat 
in their character ; but they were chietiy hand picked or crushed. Many 
of the worms also perished from the attacks of prcdaceous beetles either 
in the larval or imago stages, and of parasites of one or another sort. 
A few of them also from diseases that resulted from the presence of 
fungi or bacteria. The parasitized worms were the result of the eggs 
laid by Tachina flies in most cases. The A. annexa larvai suffered most 
in this respect, on account of their habit of coming out to feed during 
the day-time. 

ARMY-WORM. 

As the State grows older in its settlement the reports of Army-worm 
depredations become more frequent year by year. Last year I reported 
the appearance and damage by this insect in the extreme northwestern 
part of Nebraska, as well as in portions of southwestern Dakota. 
During the present year several localities in northeastern Nebraska 
were overrun to a limited extent by the larv;e of Leucania unipuncta. 
None of these areas infested were of very great extent, nor was the 
injury committed complete in any of the cases coming to my notice. 
Millet and oat fields were the chief sufferers. 

A small black fly was bred from larvie received from Mr. J. M. Sey- 
more, of Pender, Thurston County. This fly has frequently been ob- 
served by me at various points in northern Nebraska, where I have 
taken it in my net when sweeping for other insects on the prairie. It 
must be a regular enemy of Leucania miipuiicta, and perhaps also of 
other allied species, since it is by no means an uncommon insect every 
year. Others of the flesh-flies (Tachinida') also act as guards against 
this insect's rapid increase, as can readily be seen from the fact that 
many of the larvae taken have the eggs of these flies attached to their 
bodies. 

Visiting again this year the region last year reported to you as hav- 
ing the insect present in injurious numbers I was pleased to find that 
the Leucania had not appeared in numbers sufliciently great to attract 
the attention of those persons who lost crops by their dei)i*edations last 
year. In fact I am pretty confident in asserting that there are no 
grounds for fearing this insect next year, in the State of Nebraska at 
least. 



9^9 



THE GREEN-LINED MAPLE-WORM. 



For the third time, now, many of our soft maple trees in the pity of 
Lincoln have been entirely defoliated by the larvge of Anisota rubiciinda. 
This insect has been steadily increasing for the past three years, and 
if it does not soon die off by some epidemic disease or is killed by para- 
sites the growing of this tree will be very difficult. This state of 
affairs is due entirely to the negligence of our citizens in general, who, it 
appears, can not be induced to spend the little time necessary for the 
destruction of insect pests that attack their shade trees, garden and 
farm produce, and flowering plants. The entomologist can not kill all 
the insects, good and bad, in the country ; neither are his words of 
advice heeded in the least when he tells how each insect enemy is to be 
gotten rid of by means of the least labor and expense to those who 
should be most interested. 

THE BLUE-GRASS WEEVIL. 

For the past two years Sphenopliorus parvulus Gyll. has been in- 
creasing quite rapidly in numbers, so that now it has come to be one of 
our commonest beetles in the city of Lincoln, at least, if not elsewhere. 
From the fiict of its frequenting sidewalks, or being concealed under 
boards, sticks, and stones that were left lying about on the University 
campus, and on lawns elsewhere in the city, I began an investigation as 
to its probable breeding jilace. This study has led to the discovery of 
its feeding upon the roots of the common blue-grass [Poa pratemls). 
So plentiful has the insect become in some lawns that the sod has been 
entirely killed over large patches. 

The larva is a short, thick, whitish grub, like those of other species 
of the genus, and measures from 4 to 5 millimeters in length when fully 
matured. The beetles appear twice a year, i. e..m the spring and early 
fall, the insect probably being double-brooded. Some of the beetles 
may come out in fall, while the remainder may lie over winter as pupie. 
The fully matured larvte were found early in June, while others were 
observed last October, Damp and well-watered lawns appear to be in- 
fested fully as badly, if not worse, that those that are dryer, although 
they do not show the injury nearly so quickly in the former as in the 
latter case. 

While looking for larvae during the latter part of last May, numerous 
specimens of a small white " hair-worm " Mermis or Gordhts, or some 
allied genus, were found scattered through the soil. These were only 
obtained at very damp places under trees on the University campus, 
and as a rule were tightly coiled. Whether these would have or had 
been in any way connected with the Sphenophoras larvte, I do not Jvuow, 
as I am not sufficiently well acquainted with these forms nor with their 
life- hi stories. Various ground-beetles {(Jarahidw) and their larv.ne cer- 
tainly do devour the larvse of Sphenophorus, since the former were also 
quite common in the localities where the latter abounded. No experi 



100 

uieiits were carried on with a view to liiuliiig' a remedy aj^aiust the iu- 
jiiries of this weevil. 

THE CORN ROOT-WOllM, 

{Diabrolica lonijicornis.) 

This insect is becoming alarmingly common in the connties of eastern 
Nebraska and those of western Iowa; and, judging from the general 
food habits which the imago appears to be developing, it may soon be- 
come a much more dangerous pest than we at present imagine. During 
the past summer and fall the beetle has been almost omui^jresent, so 
common was it in the vicinity of Lincoln. It was found upon a large 
variety of plants belonging to different orders. It was beaten from 
trees such as maple, box elder, elm, ash, willow, cotton-wood, and oak. 
1 found it rather common among the grasses and obtained it in plenty 
in gardens where it was feeding upon the leaves of radishes and 
turnips, in several instances completely riddling these latter with holes. 
As late as September 28, the beetle was still quite active during day- 
time, and quickly took to flight upon being disturbed. In August it 
was observed to be nocturnal in its movements, as was to be seen by 
the large numbers of the beetles that were attracted to and gathered 
about the electric lights. On the morning of the 15th, 2G0 specimens 
of the beetle were taken from the globe of a single arc light that hangs 
in front of University Hall upon the campus of the State University. 
These had all been attracted to and caught in the globe in a single 
night. Whether or not these came from the farms iu the surrounding 
country I can not say. Might not the species work in the roots (for 
the larva is a root-borer) of some other plant or plants beside corn ! 
At any rate it is my present intention to look into the life-history of the 
Corn Itoot-worm a little more closely during next season. It is getting 
to be by far too common an insect iu these parts for us to be running 
chances in dealing with it. Rotation of crops may or may not always 
prove to be a remedy against its depredations. 

INSECTS DETRIMENTAL TO THE GROWTH OF YOUNG TREES ON " TREE 
CLAIMS " IN NEBRASKA AND OTHER PORTIONS OF THE WEST. 

For several years now I have been interested iu the study of the insect 
pests that render the growing of young trees upon claims entered under 
the "timber-culture act" quite a dithcult and tedious matter. This 
interest in the subject had its origin partly in personal experience aiul 
partly from the numerous complaints of others who have experienced 
great difficulty in securing a sufficient growth iu their young timber 
within the limitations for making final proof. Not infrequently has it 
been the misfortune for those striving to gain titles to Government lauds 
under this act to have their trees completely defoliated for several 
years in succession. Nor have these injuries been confined to any single 
kind of tree. Since commencing the study of the subject I have either 



101 



seen or heard of all of the following species suffering alike from this 
cause : Ash, Box Elder, Soft Maple, Cottonwood, and Willow. The 
honey locust, too, has been subject to defoliation by insect enemies when 
growing as hedges upon the uplands of the semi-arid regions west of 
the 97th meridian. Some of these trees thus attacked were killed out- 
right, while others were set back a year or more by each defoliation. 
Several different lines of investigation have been followed in the 
study of this subject, viz, the comparative freedom from insect attack 
of the various kinds of trees ; the influence of topography upon the 
growth of each kind of tree, as well as upon the increase and develop- 
ment of the insect life thriving upon the tree; also the comparative 
abundance or absence of birds and parasitic insects in the different 
regions, and what relation these bear to insect depredations. Of course, 
when fully carried out in the several lines indicated above, the investi- 
gation of such a subject can not fail to be quite extensive and result in 
some good to the parties most concerned. For the present paper, how- 
ever, only a few of the most important of these insect enemies will be 
mentioned, and then only cursorily. Of these there are about thirty 
species belonging to the orders Coleoptera, Hymenoptera, Lepidoptera, 
Orthoptera, and Hemiptera. Most of these insects that I wish to call 
attention to are quite general in their distribution, and therefore as 
well known to you as they are to those living in the "tree-claim" 
region. My report will then simply consist of a statement as to their 
abundance, distribution, and the amount of injury done by each species. 
To do this the following table will best express my wishes and at the 
same time be least cumbersome. All of the species therein mentioned 
have been either observed by myself or were reported by others as 
occurring in injurious numbers during different seasons upon tree- 
claims located in Nebraska, Kansas, and Dakota. 



Insect. 


Tree. 


Insect. 


Tree. 


HYMENOPTERA. 

Cimbex americana Tiench . 
Monophadnus barda Say . . 

COLEOPTEKA. 


Willows. 
Ash. 

Willow and Cotton- 
wood. 
Do. 
Willow. 

Box Elder and Maple. 

All kinds. 

Honey Locust, Coffee 
Beau. 

A.sh. 

Willow, Elm. 

Maple, Willow, Box 
Elder, ote. 

Maple, Elm, Box El- 
der, etc. 

Willow, Cottonwood. 


Gregnonia juglandis A. & 

S. 
Glisiocampa atnericana 

Harr. 
Glisiocampa sylvatica 

Harr. 
Dat.ana aiigusii G. & R. 
Anisota rubicunda Fab . . 
Uyphantria cunea Drury 

Apatela vopuli Riley 

Do." 


Walnut. 

Most kinds. 

Do. 

Black Walnut. 
Soft Maple. 
All kinds. 




Disonycha jjennsylvanica 
111 


Willow. 


Do 


Maple, Box Elder. 
Honey Locust. 
Ash. 


Olin/nobothris femorata 
Fiib 


Tortncid ( ) 


/yac/ivioxfcrno (several .spe- 

cie,s). 
Epicauta cinerea Forst 

LEPIDOPTERA. 

J'aptlio tiirnus Linn 

Vanensa antiopa Linn ... 
I'tatysaiiiia cecropia Linn 

Telca polijphevius Cramer 

Triptogon modesta A. & S. 


Do 


Elm. 


Tortricid ( ) 

ORTHOPTERA. 

(EcanthuK niveus Serv . . . 

(Ecanthus latipennis Ri- 
ley. 

Melanophis gpretus Thos 

Melanupl us femur-rub - 
rum. JJeGeer. 

Mrlanriplus differentialis 
T1jo.s. 


Boring twigs of Hack- 
berry, Box Elder. 

Stems of various trees. 
Stems not so common. 

Foliage of all when 
numerous. 



102 

Almost all of the above named insects are snflBciently nnmerous at 
times, when working- alone, to kill or at least to greatly retard the 
growth of the tree or trees upon which they feed. Of course, they do 
not all occur at once in any given locality in such overwhelming num- 
bers, nor are the injuries the same every year ; but quite frequently 
two or more of tiie species are found feeding in company upon the same 
tree in numbers sufficiently great to do harm. In addition to the species 
named above there are a great many others that are also known to at- 
tack and injure the trees growing upon tree-claims; but these latter 
have not yet made their presence so strongly felt as to force us to place 
them on the list of insect pests in connection with tree-claim culture. 
For a description and life history of many of these the reader is referred 
to Bulletin No. 7 of the United States Entomological Commission, en- 
titled " Insects Injurious to Forest and Shade Trees." 

Causes for these Insect Injuries. — There is a cause for everything, so 
in the present instance we must look for one or a combination of causes 
that work together in producing the undue increase of insect life upon 
the prairies when new varieties of plants are introduced. A very 
superficial survey of the ground will quickly reveal tons some of these 
causes. 

In the first place, there are always a few dwarfed trees of most of the 
kinds that are usually planted upon claims. These trees are scattered 
along the watercourses, in ravines and gulches, and a few other localities 
that are protected from the fires which have annually swept over the 
broad prairies for generations. These few trees furnish food for small 
colonies of the various species of insects that we have named. There 
are always enough of them to very quickly stock a claim close by upon 
which small trees are planted that are to their taste. Then, too, all of 
these injurious insects are of a hardy nature, used to a precarious life, 
and are strong fliers capable of making comparativelj^ long journeys in 
search of food for themselves and their progeny. They are, in fact, the 
nomads of the insect world, cajiable of withstanding the vicissitudes 
belonging to a life upon the vast prairies where the more delicate para- 
sitic forms could not live or even find shelter. Then, too, their 
requirements for quarters iu which to pass the long, cold winter months 
are less complex than are those of the species that come later on. 

In the second place, the country being destitute of groves of timber 
among the branches of which insectivorous birds can find shelter and 
build their nests most of these insect destroyers are absent. Of course, 
the absence of so great a factor as are these birds in the ridding a 
country of its insect pests soon becomes apparent in the increase of the 
latter and of the accompanying injury done by them. The absence of 
groves, too, not only keeps away the feathered tribe, but also prevents 
many of the more delicate iiarasitic and a large number of the preda- 
ceons insects from becoming established in the region. The majority 
of these latter forms of insects, as before stated, are such as require 



103 

sheltered retreats in which to lurl< or to get away from the hot dry sum- 
mers and the long cold winters. 

In the third i)lace, the comparative aridity of the region where these 
claims are located renders the growth of them somewhat slower than 
where the precipitation is more bountiful. This slowness of growth, 
while it is an advantage in one respect, aids the insect foes to a con- 
derable extent in their work of destruction. A rank and rapid growth 
places a tree out of danger from external enemies nuich juore quickly 
than will a slow growth. At the same time in rank growth a much 
greater amount of food is furnished for the same number of insects, 
and as a consequence less injury to the tree results thau wouhl were 
the growth slower. 

A fourth cause for the rapid increase among these different insects 
in new regions is the absence of such fungoid diseases as are known to 
attack and kill various of these pests. After awhile, however, the 
germs of these diseases become diffused through the soil, vegetable 
debris, and about the encumbering growths, buildings, etc. These 
germs are carried around by the elements and other agencies, and in 
time some of them tind lodgment within the bodies of such insects as 
are susceptible to their growth. The result is disease and death. 

Comparative Freedom of different Trees from the Attacks of Insect Pests. — 
Up to the present writing I have not sufficiently investigated this por- 
tion of the subject to be entirely positive in my assertions as to the 
kind or kinds of trees most nearly exempt from the attacks of insect 
foes in different regions. None of them are entirely free ; but that there 
are trees which suffer less than others in this respect is a well-known 
fact, and can be seen at any time where several kinds are growing side 
by side or in the same grove. Again, a particular kind of tree might 
be troubled in a given locality, while in another it would be compara- 
tively free. Some trees also suffer while small, and others are usually 
injured after they have gained considerable growth and age. These 
variations with regard to insect attacks among different trees, and of 
the same kind at different ages, are governed by laws the explanation 
of which would require much more time and space than I have at my 
command. By looking over the list of insects mentioned above it will 
be seen that no reference is made of any species injuring either the 
Catalpa or llussian Mulberry. The Ash is affected by three, each of 
which at times strips it of foliage while young; the Box Elder by two 
or three ; the Willow by a dozen or more ; the Cottonwood by four or 
live; the Soft-Maple by several ; the Elm a couple ; the Honey Locust 
two, etc. 

In treating this subject only such insects have been mentioned as 
have been ascertained to attack the various trees during their first few 
years of growth, and before they have attained any great size. Other 
species of insects injure these trees later on ; but, as a rule, these latter 



104 

are less destructive to them save in a few instances. Only a very few 
borers work in healthy young trees in this region. 

Remedies tried and sifggested. — Only a few remedies have been gener- 
ally tried against these pests in the region of tree claims, and most of 
these were confined to the various methods of "hand-picking" aud 
crushing. Spraying and dusking with poisons and kerosene emulsions, 
or the use of road dust, ashes, air-slaked lime, etc., have been reported 
only in a very few instances. Any or all of these methods of warfare when 
l)roperly carried on and used intelligently, in accordance with the habits 
of the insect that is being fought, will repay one for the time thus 
spent. 

LOCUSTS OR GKASSHOPPERS. 

Aside from several local outbreaks there has been no special damage 
done during the year by locusts within the United States. Of course, 
you are already acquainted with the particulars in connection with the 
local injuries, of which the chief are the following: The Rocky Mount- 
ain or migratory species at Nephi City, Utah ; the same in Otter Tail 
County, Minnesota; and the lesser and red-thighed species in the mount- 
ain districts of the New England States. The Utah outbreak was 
partly investigated by me at the time (May) of its occurrence, througli 
correspondence with the Hon. JamesB. Darton,of Nephi City. That 
gentleman supplied me with specimens at different times from which the 
insects under consideration were determined. The conclusions at which 
1 then arrived were reported to Mr. Howard in your absence. If 1 
remember rightly, both the Rocky Mountain [Melanoplus spretns) and 
the California locust {Camnula pellucida) were found among the material 
received from Mr. Darton. The Otter Tail outbreak has been very care- 
fully written up by Mr. Otto Lugger, of the Minnesota Experiment Sta- 
tion; whileMr.C.L. Marlatt, of the Entomological Division, has reported 
on the New England outbreak. 

While it is not my intention to devote much time to the subject of 
locust abundance and injuries, I do wish to say a few words concerning 
the fungoid disease known as Entomophthora calopteni of Bessey. Dur- 
ing the i)resent summer this disease has been unusually abundant in 
and around the city of Lincoln, Nebr. Several species o: our native 
locusts were attacked by it; but the large yellow one, known as the 
Melanoplus diferentialis Thomas, was destroyed by the thousands. 
Whether the fungus in question was more jdentiful than usual, and 
did its work of exterminalion more effectually than during previous 
summers; or, whether it was on account of my being surrounded by a 
number of students in botany, and located next door to the botanical 
laboratory, that attracted my attention to these, I do not know. The 
impression is, however, that the former is the true explanation. On 
the University camj)us alone, where differentialis hatched quite plen- 
tifully and began doing considerable injury to various small trees and 



105 

shrubs, there must have been several thousands of the hoppers destroyed 
by the disease. Soon after the locusts became fledged some of them 
were observed to die after first sliowing signs of disease. After the 
disease first became apparent among the locusts, it spread, or at least 
appeared in other portions of the city, the number of dead and dying 
locusts increasing daily. So fatal did the disease finally become ui)ou 
the Univ'ersity campus that but few of the differentialis escaped to 
deposit eggs. I know that three or four of the botanical students each 
collected the dead locusts by the chalk-box full to use as specimens in 
their line of work, and for exchange, while I gathered many of them 
myself. During the latter half of August, and early in September, at 
almost any time one might have secured from fifty to a hundred or 
more specimens of the dead locusts in a few moments, by simply going 
outside of the science hall a few yards. 

So rapid was the final action of the Entomoplitliora (or Empnsa, as it 
has more recently been called) that not infrequently the locusts were 
found still in copulation, one or the other of the sex being dead. When 
they were found in this condition, the female, though not always, was 
the first to succumb. This would not, however, prove anything as to 
the comparative fatality of the disease as far as the different sexes are 
concerned. There are other matters to be taken into cousideratiou be- 
fore we can come to a definite solution of comparative immunity from 
attacks upon the different sexes of an insect by a disease like the present. 

Just how long a time is required for the full development of the 
fungus after an insect is first attacked I am not prepared to state ; 
neither can I give an account of the various stages through which the 
fungus passes during this development from the original spore to the 
stage where such spores are reproduced. Nor am I posted as to all 
symptoms present during the diiierent stages of the disease occasioned 
by the fungus within the tissues of a living locust. All that I know 
is, that shortly before death the stricken hopper climbs up some stick, 
weed, or blade of grass, to which it clings frantically with its anterior 
and middle pairs of legs. When found dead these always have their 
head uppermost. 

Whether or not invariably fatal I can not say ; and imagine that to 
ascertain this would be no easy task. I am also quite ignorant in refer- 
ence to its capability of being artificially spread, since I have had no 
opportunity to experiment in that direction. Besides, the disease does 
not appear to be common to all species of locusts alike; or if it is, we 
do not know it. The subject will bear a much more careful study than 
has thus far been devoted to it. From an economic standpoint there is 
still a great deal to be learned concerning insect-attacking fungi, as a 
few recent experiments in this litu3 clearly demonstrate. 

Before leaving the subject of this locust-destroying fungus I wish to 
jtdd the following notes, prepared for the present paper at my request 



106 

by Prof. C. E. Bessey. They will show the most recent views of bota- 
nists as to the systematic position of the i)laut in question : 

Entomophthora calopteni Bessey. — The original description of this species appeared 
'n the American Natnralist for December, 1883 (page 1280). It is reproduced bere 
verbatim : 

" I. Enipnsa stage, not seen. 

" II. Taricbium stage : Oospores globular, or from pressure somewhat irregular in 
outline, colorless, 3G to 30/^. in diameter; walls thick (4 /i.), colorless, smooth ; pro- 
toplasm granular, after as if composed of many small cells, often with a large round 
vacuole. Occurring as a clay-colored mass in the body cavity and femora of Catoj)- 
tcnus differentialis. 

"Ames, Iowa, August and September, 1883." 

Specimens of this fnngus collected in Wisconsin by Trelease and Seymour were 
distributed under the name given above by Ellis and Everhart in North American 
Fungi, No. 1801. In April, 1888, Mr. Roland Thaxtcr published, in the Memoirs of 
the Boston Society of Natural History, an important paper on The Entomophthora; 
of the United States, in which be revises the species of the group, and adopts the 
older generic name /!Jmj)KS«, first proposed by Colm in 1855, in preference to Ento- 
mophthora proposed by Fresenius in 1856. Moreover, Mr. Thaxter concludes that the 
fnngus described above is identical with one described as Entomophthora ffrjilli, by 
Fresenius, in 1856. Specimens of this species were distributed in 1885 by Dr. Farlow, 
in Ellis' North American Fungi, No. 1401. Our species thus appeared in Mr. Thaster's 
l>aper under the name oi Empnsa grylli (Fres.) Nowakowski. 



r N D i: X 



TEgcria lipuliformia, 86. 
iEsculus californiciis, 89. 
Agallia flaccida, 29. 

4-punctata, 28. 

sanguinolenta, 29. 
Agriotos niancus, 51. 
Agrostis, 93. 
Agrotis annexa, 97. 

rlandostina, 89, 97. 

cocliranii, 88. 

creniilata, life-hislory of, 89. 

herilis, 43. 

niessoi-ia, 88, 97. 

saucia, 82, 97. 

suffuaa, 97. 
Ailotria tritioi, 71. 
Allygus iiT0ratu8, 30. 
Amar.anthiis, 97. 
Aiiabius .simplex, 94. 
Aiulropogon divisitillorus, 59. 
Anisoptoryx vornata, 74. 
Anisota rnbictinda. 99, 101. 
Aiioniala varians, 51. 
Anthrax parasitic on Agiotis hol-ilis, 44. 
Aoiiidia aurantii, 7. 
Apatelapopuli, 101. 
Apliidins .avenapliis, 71. 
Aphids, al)iindaiico in Missouri, 70. 

found on wheat, 70. 
Aphis arena', 74. 
niali, 70. 
persicai, 80. 

n. sp. on roots of -wheat, 70. 
Apple, 75, 79, SO, 88, 90, 96. 
Arlmlna nionzicsii. 85. 
Army Worm in Iowa, 20. 

Indiana, 4'>. 
Nebraska, 98. 
parasites of, 46, 98. 
the fall. 40. 
Arsenic, oxperiments with, 80. 
Arundinaria leota, 59. 
Asb, 100.101. 

Aspidiotus anr.antii, 7, 10, 14, 17. 
Aster, 82. 
liavley, 57, 93. 
IJaaaus ayeopbanta, 71. 
Hats capturing Codling moths, 91. 
Heaiis, 52. 82. 

r.e.an'a Knreka insecticide, 17. 
Beet, 76. 

Bessey, Prof. C, E., description of Kntomophthora 
calopteni, 106. 



Bittacna near atigmatorus destroying Crambua, 

48. 
Blackberry, 74. 

Blissna leucopterua, 41, 55, 90, 97. 
Blue Grass, 19, 42, 99. 
Blue Grass Weevil in Nidiraska, 99. 
Box-elder, 74, 100,101. 
Bruner, Lawrence, Report by, 95. 
Buckeye, 89. 
Buckton, quoted, 60. 
Bythoscopus .sangiiinolentns, 29. 

siccifoliiis, 29. 
Cabbage, .52, 73. 

Butterfly, 76. 
Curculio, 73. 
Worm, 81. 
Calathus nificollis, 92. 
California Insects, Ueport on, 85. 
Caloptenus fenuir-rubrum, 22, 44, 94, 101. 
Caninula pollucida, 94, 104. 
Canker worms in Missouri, 74. 
Carpocapaa {nee Codling moth). 
Catalpa, 103. 
Coanothus, 87. 

cordulatus, 88. 
thyraifloraa, 88. 
Cccidomyia deatructor, 93. 
ColiKna renigera. 82. 
Ceratochloa australis, 37. 
Ceuthorhynchus rapa', 73. 
Chonopodium album, 76. 
Cherry, Wild, 87. 
Chinch Bug, 41, 90. 

Injuring grasses in Iowa, 21. 
In Indiana, 55. 

Unequal di.stribution in Indiana, 55. 
Influence of rain-f.ill, 58. 
Fungus diaeaao of, 60. 
Chionanthua virginica, 79. 
Chryaanthemum, 75. 
Chryaobothris femorata, 101. 

niali, 86. 
Chry.somela sp. injurious to Willow, 101. 
Chrysopa larva' feeding on I'liylloxera rileyi, S3. 
probably destroying( !odIing mot h eggs, 

91. 
preying on Whe.at A])his, 71. 
Cicada coccinoa, 28. 
Cicadula exitio.sa, 30. 
Cinibex .americana, 101. 
(^ladius isomer.a, 78. 
Clisiocanii)a americana, 101. 
ca liforiiiia,87. 

107 



108 



Clisiocarapa cnnstricta, 87. 
oiosa, 87. 
I'nigilia, 87. 
strigosa, 87. 
sylvatica, 101. 
tlioiacica, 87. 
Clover, 19,47,75,82, 98. 

•seed niidgo iu Iowa, 19. 
Coccinella 9 notata, 04, 72. 
Codling moth in Mi.ssonri, 7.">. 
California, 89. 
parasiti'.s of, in Califoinia, 8, 90. 
Coffee bean, 101. 

Colorado potato beetle, experiments with, 80, 81. 
Conozoa wallula, 94. 
Coutopus virena, 48. 
Coquillott, D. "W., Report by, 9. 
Coriacus ferus, 2G. 
Corn, 43, 46, 47, 48, 52, 53, 57, 100. 

Sweet, 76. 
Corn root- worm in Nebra.ska, 100. 
Cornns, 33. 

sangninea, 36. 
sericca, 39. 
(^orymela'na pulicaria, 75. 
Cosmos, 75. 
Cottonwood, 100, 101. 
Cottony CuHhion S(\'ilo, 9, 12. 
Crambus exsiceahis, 18. 

laqueatelhi.s, 18,48. 
zeellus, 47, 48. 
Cressonia.jiiglandi.'*, 101. 
Cnicifera' injured by Phyllotrcta vittata, 73. 
Cneumber, 76, S2. 
Currant, 80, 88. 
Cut-worm, a new, 47. 
Cut- worms in Califoruia, 88. 
Iowa, 18, 20. 
Nebraska, 97. 
Dactylis glomerata, 71. 
Dahlia, 75. 
Datana angusii, 101. 

ministra, 44, 45. 
Destructive Lt^af-lioppcr, 30. 
Diabrotica 12-])unctata, 19, 52, 76. 
longicornis, 100. 
soror, 87. 
vittata, 19. 
Diamond soluble bono, experiment with, 48, 
Diedrocephala cocitinea, 27, 28. 
inollipcs, 26. 
noveboracensis, 27. 
versuta, 27. 
Dipterous parasite of Array AVorm, 98. 

Diabrotica soror, 87. 
Disonycha collaris, 76. 

peiinsylvanica, 101. 
Dissosteira earolina, 94. 

obliterata, 94. 
Dogwood I'lant-louse, 20, 32. 

Its identity with the grass root-louse, 32. 
Dory])hora 10-lineata, SO. 
DrastoriuM dorsalis, .52. 
elegans, .52. 
Drynieia sp. parasitic on Army Worm, 40. 
Elm, 74, 100. 



Elynius americanus, 03. 

Empusa grylli, 100. 

Encyrtus websteri, 71. 

Entomological notes from Missouri for 1889, 73. 

Eutomophthora disea.se of the Chinch Bug, 60. 

Entomophtliora calopteni, 104, 100. 

grylli, 100. 
Epicauta cinerea, 101. 
Epitrix cucumeris, 19. 
Eragrostis megastachya, 37. 

Erax larva, probably parasitic on White t!rub, 51. 
Eriosoma? cornicola, 37, 39, 40. 
? fungicola, 37, 38, 40. 
European Cabbage Butterfly in Missouri, 70. 
Eureka insecticide, experiments with, 17. 
Fabricius's original description of Aphis comi, 30. 
Fall Army Worm, 46. 
False Chinch Bugs in Nebraska, 95. 
Fertilizing salt, experiments with, 50. 
Flea-like negro-bug in Missouri, 75. 
Fluted Scale, 9, 12. 
Four-pointed Agallia, 28. 
Foxtails (see Setaria). 
Fungus disease of Chinch Bug, 60. 

grasshojipers, 104. 
Gas treatment for Scale insects, 9. 
Geocoris bullata, 96. 
Gortyna nitela, 47, 75. 
Grain Aphis in Indiana, 64. 

Severe outbreak in 1889, 64. 

Influence of tcmiperature and moisture, 05. 

Cool temperature favorable to its devclo]) 
ment, 68. 

Etticacy of parasites, C9. 

Notes on life-history, 69. 

Enumeration of natural enemies, 71. 

Other species of Aphids found on wheat, 70. 
Grain fruits, insects injurious to, 7, 42. 
Grape, 80, 90. 
Grass, 19, 20, 34, 93, 100. 

Hungarian, 41. 

Timothy, 45. 
Grasses, insects injurious to, 7,20,41. 
Grass-root Plant-louse, 32. 
Grasshoppers in Iowa, 21. 

fungus disea.so of, 104. 
Green-lined Maple worm iu Nebraska, 99. 
Gryllns luctuosus, 94. 
Hackberry, 101. 
Iladena stipata, 47. 
Ilalticus p.'illicornis, 82. 
Hesperotettix paciflcus, 44. 
Hessian lly in California, 93. 

now food-plants of, 93. 
Ilotei'optcra infesting grasses, 41. 
Hieroglyphic Leaf-hopper, 28. 
IIi])podamia convergens, 72. 
glacialis, 72. 
parenthesis, 72. 
13-punctata, 72. 
Honey Locust, 101. 

lloppe'" Dozers recommended for Le:ifhop])ers,25. 
Ilungnrian grass, 41. 
Hurtful I,eMfho])l)er, 31. 
Hydi'ocyanic gns treatment, 9. 
Hyphantria cuntia, 101. 



109 



Icerya jturcliasi, 7, 9, 12. 
IcLtioiiuioii bioviciuctur, 40. 
lusects all'cctiuj; j^iain fruits, 7,42. 
};rasses, 7, 20. 

youut; tieo.s ou wusteru tree 
claiiu.s, 100. 
iiijurious in California, 85. 
Iowa, 18. 
Missouri, 73. 
Nebraska, 95. 
Insecticides, experiments witli, 9, 48, 80. 

■ Bean's Eureka insecticide, 17. 
hydrocyanic acid gas, 9. 
London purple, 19. 
Paris green, 30. 
Petroleum emulsion, 19, 80. 
Resin soaps and compounds, 10. 
Salts, 50, 51. 
AVliite arsenic, 80. 
Various substances, 48. 
X. O. Bust, 19, «0. 
Iowa, insects injurious in, 18. 
Isclinodemus falicus, 41. 
Isocrates vulgaris, 71. 
Isosonia .sp. destructive in California, 93. 

triticl, 42. 
Jassus inimicus, 31. 
Kerosene emulsion, 19, 80. 
Koebele, Albert, Report by, 85. 
Lachnosterna larva* destructive in Indiana. 48. 

injuring young trees in the West, 
101. 
Lapbria tergissa destroying Varying Anomala, 51. 
Laphygraa frugiperda, 46. 
Leaf-hoppers aftecting grass in Iowa, 21. 
Appearance and habits, 23. 
Amount and nature of damage, 22. 
Remedies, 23. 

Enumeration of species observed, 26. 
Lecanium olo», 13. 

sp. on dogwood, 34. 
Leucania unipuucta (see Army Worm). 
Leucarctia acra;a, 92. 
Lina scripta, 76, 101. 
Linden, 74. 

Locust injury in 1889, 104. 
Locusts on the Pacific coast, 93. 
London purple and Kerosene emulsion, 19. 
Long Bug, 41. 
Luporina stipata, 47. 
Lygus lineatus, 75. 

pratensis, 75. 
Madroua tree-borer, 85. 
Maple, 74, 100, 101. 
soft, 99, 101. 
Maple Worm, the Greenlmed, 99. 
Meadows and pastures, insects injurious to, 20, 48. 
Megaspilus niger, 71. 
Megilla inaculata, 72. 
Megoura sp. found on rye, 71. 
Melauoplus cinereus, 94. 

devastator, 94. 
dilferentialis, 101, 104. 
femur-rubrum, 22, 24, 94, 101. 
packardii, 94. 
spretus, 101, 104. 



Melaxauthus salicis, 20. 
Moromyza americaua, 42. 

found on- grass iu Iowa, 19. 
Merisus destructor, 93. 
Micropus leucoptcrus, 41, 55, 96, 97. 
Millet, 98. 
Miris affinis, 41. 
Monophadnus barda, 101. 
Mulberry, 96. 

Russian, 103. 
Murtfeldt, Mary E., Report by, 73. 
Myzus sp. founa on wheat, 71. 
Nasturtium, 76. 

Nebraska, insects injurious in, 95. 
Nemora;a leucania;, 46. 
New Rose Slug, 78. 
Life-historj', 78. 
Description of larva, 78. 
Now York Leaf-hopper, 27. 
Nomophila noctuella, 18. 
Nysius angustatus, 90. 
Oak, 82, 87, 88, 100. 
Oats, 52, 57, 98. 
Oecanthus latipenuis, 82, 101. 

uiveus, 101. 
CEstlund, O. W., quoted, 38. 
Olive, 86. 

Ophion purgatus, 46. 
Orchard grass, 71. 

trees, 74, 75. 
Osborn, Prof. Herbert, Report by, 18. 
Pachy neuron micaus, 71. 
Palthis augulalis, description of larva and pupa, 

79. 
Panicum, 33, 63. 

anceps, 59. 

glabrum,37, 38. 

proliticum, 59. 

viscidum, 59. 
Papilio turnus, 101. 
Paspalum fluitans, 59. 

lajve, 59. 
Passeriui, quoted, 37. 
Peach, 74, 75. 
Pear, 75, 90. 

Bartlett, 90. 
Peppergiass, 73, 97. 
Phosphate salt, experiment with, 49. 
Phyllotreta vittata, 73, 80. 

zimmermanni, 80. 
Phylloxera rileyi, notes on, for 1889, 82. 
Pieris protodico, 76. 

rapaj, 76. 
Pimpla annulii)os, 90. 
Pipizapulchella jjoasibly preying on ChiHch Bug, 

64. 
Plagiodera scripta, 76, 101. 
Platysamia cccropia, 101. 
Plum, 74, 86. 

Plum curculio in Missouri, 74. 
Poa pratensis, 42, 70, 99. 
Podabrus tomentosus, 72. 
Podura found on radishes, 74. 
Polycaon confertus, 85. 
Polygonum, 97. 
Populus, 76, 



no 



Pout Oak, 82. 
PiiiiMiH ili'uii.ssii, 87. 
Ptno.sticliu.s calil'oniicua, 92. 
Purslane, 97. 

Buft 96. 
Quorcu.s aKriiblia, 87, 89. 
couoineiiaia, 87. 
obtusiloba, 82. 
Kadish, 73, 100. 

liaiu-fall and toiuperaturo iu ludiaua, fiC, 07. 
Kaphidia destroy ing Codliiig Moths iu Califor- 
nia, 92. 
KiHl-backcd Loaf-bopper, 28. 
lied Scale of California, 7. 

methods of dc-stroyinj;, 9. 
Red osier dogwood, 37. 

Kesin soaps and compouuds for Scale insects, 10. 
Rhopalosiphum n. sp. found on wheat, 70. 
Rhubarb, 74. 

Rooky Mountain Locust, 101, 101. 
Rose, 78. 

Rose slug, anew, 73. 

R.van, F. G., experiment with resiu washes, 13. 
Rye, 46, 57, 70, 71. 
Sago bu.-ih, 94. 

SaltK, experiment with, as insecticides, 49, 50, 51. 
Schizoueura corni, 20, 32, 33, 30. 

craticgi, 19. 

panicola, 33, 38, 40. 

venusta, 37, 40. 
Scirpus atrovireu.s, 53. 
Scoliopteryx libatrix, 46. 
Selandria rosie, 78, 80. 

1 sp. injurious to White FriuKo, 70. 
Setaria, 33, 41, 63. 

glauca, 37, 01. 
italica, 37. 
viridis, 37. 
Shade trees infested by Apbids, 7t. 
Siphouophora avona^, 64, 74. 
Smart-weed, 97. 
Spliajrophoria cylindrica, 71. 
Spheuophorus ochreus, 52. 

parvulu.'j, 99. 
Spinach, 76. 
Spinach beetle, 76. 

Life-habits and history, 76. 
Description of larva and pupa, 77. 
Squash, 76. 
Stalk-borer, 75. 
Stfciroxis sp., 94. 
Stenobothris coloradus, 94. 
Stink-grass, 97. 
Strawberry, 75. 

Streaked Cottonwood Beetle, 76, 101. 
Swamp Sphenophorus in Indiana, 52. 
Sweet corn, 76. 
Systiecbus oreas, 44. 
Tarnished Phiut-bug, 75,81. 
Telea polyphemus, 101. 
Tele|ihoriis caiolinus, 72. 



Tenderfoot Leaf hopper, 26. 

Tent eater|)illais of the I'acilie coast, 87. 

Tettigonia hieroglyphica, 28. 

4-vittata, 28. 
Tliomas, Prof. Cyrus, (jiioted, 37, 38. 
Thorn-tree Aphid in Iowa, 19. 
Thrips found on blue grass, 19. 

laiva' feeding on Phylloxera rileyi,83. 
Timothy grass, 45. 
Tortiicid injurious to Honey Locust, 101. 

boring twigs of Hackberry and Box- 
elder, 101. 
Toxoptera n. sp. found on wheat, 70. 
Trapozonotus nebulo.sus, 90. 
Trees on western tree claim.s, insects injurious 

to, 100. 
Trichogramma pretios.i, 8. 
Trimerotropis fallax, 94. 
Trioxys sp. parasitic on Grain Ajjhis, 71. 
Triptogon modesta, 101. 
Trogoderma tarsale, larva feeding on Codling 

moth pupas, 92. 
Tropifolum, 76. 
Turf Web- worms in Iowa, 20. 
Turnips, 73, 100. 

Twelve-spotted Diabrotica, f>2, 76. 
Tycliea panici, 38. 
Uhler, Prof. P., quoted, 20. 
Uniola latifolia, 59. 
Van Duzee, E. P., quoted, 29, 30. 
Vanessa antiopa, 101. 
Varying Anomala, 51. 
Vedalia cardinalis, 8, 9, 85. 
Walsh, B. D., quoted, 37. 
Walnut, 101. 

Black, 101. 
Washes for Scale insects, 7, 10. 
Wavy-spotted Leaf-hopper, 30. 
Wavy-striped Flea-beetle, 73. 
Webster, Prof. F. M., Report by, 42. 
Weed, Clarence M., quoted, 39. 
Western Striped Cut-worms, 43. 

Interesting parasite on, 44. 
Wheat, 42, 51, 52, 57, 64, 70, 71, 93. 
Wheat stem maggot, 42. 

straw worm, 42. 

wire-worm, 51. 
White arsenic, experiments with, 80. 
White Fringe tree, 79. 
White Fringe Slug, 79. 

Description of larva, 79. 
White grubs iu Indiana, 48. 
Iowa, 20. 
experiments for destroying, 48. 
Wild Cherry, 87. 
Willow, 87,88,100,101. 
Willow Plant-louse, 20. 
Wire-worm injuring wheat, 51. 
Wood Powee destroying Crambus moths, 48. 
Xauthogiamma eniarginata, 71. 
X. O. Dust, experiments with, 19, 75, 80. 



U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 
division of entomology. 

Bulletin No. 23. 



REPORTS 



OBSERVATIONS AND EXPERIMENTS 



THE PRACTICAL WORK OF THE DIVISION, 



UNDER THE DIRECTION OF THE ENTOMOLOGIST. 



(PUBLISHED BY THE AUTHORITY OF THE SECRETARY OF" AGRICULTURE.) 



WASH I NGTON: 

GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE. 
I 89 I. 



S ^ ig - s a T- 



U.S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 
division of entomology. 

Bulletin No. 23. 



REPORTS 

1/ 



I OBSERVATIONS AND EXPERIMENTS 



IN 



THE PRACTICAL WORK OF THE DIVISION, 



* 



UNDER THE DIRECTION OF THE ENTOMOLOGIST. 



(PUBLISHED BY THE AUTHORITY OF THE SECRETARY OF AGRICULTURE.) 



WASHINGTON: 

GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE. 
189 I. 



CiTyJ^^ "^ 



o 



*0 



^ 

i^ 

^ 



CONTENTS. 



Letter of Submittal 5 

i>^troduction 7 

Eeport on Nebraska Insects Lawrence Bruner.. 9 

Report on various Methods for destroying Scale Insects, D. TV. Coquil- 

left 19 

Report upon Experiments chiefly with Resin Compounds on Phyl- 
loxera vastatrix, and Observations made during the Year, Albert 

KoeheJe 37 

Entomological Notes from Missouri for the Season op 1890, Mary E. 

Mitrtfeldt 45 

Report on the Work of the Season in Iowa Herbert Osborn.. 57 

Report on some of the Insects affecting Cereal Crops. ..F. M. Webster.. 63 

3 



LETTER OF SUBMITTAL. 



Department of Agriculture, 

Division of Entomology, 
Washington, D. (7., January 3, 1891. 
Sir: I have the honor to submit for publication Bulletin No. 23 of 
this Division. It comprises the reports of the field agents of the Division 
for the past year (1890), a summary of which has been included in your 
annual report. 

Kespectfully, 

0. V. ElLET, 

Untomologisi. 
Hon. J. M. EusK, 

Secretary of Agriculture, 

6 



INTRODUCTION 



The reports of the six permanent field agents of tlie Division are in- 
cluded in this bulletin. They are printed this year in full, but it should 
be understood that they are little more than summaries of the work in 
general performed by each one. Special reports upon specific subjects 
have from time to time been sent in by special direction, and these 
have been ijublished in Insect Life. 

Mr. Lawrence Bruner, who last year reported upon the insects inju- 
rious to young trees on tree claims, has the present season devoted 
much of his attention to insects affecting, or liable to affect, the Sugar 
beet, a crop of growing importance in the State in which he is located. 
Although but one season's collecting has been done, some 64 species 
have been observed to prey upon this crop. As has been shown, nearly 
all of these can be readily kept in subjection by the use of the kero- 
sene emulsion or the arsenites. 

Mr. D. W. Coquillett's report is mainly devoted to methods and ap- 
paratus for the destruction of scale insects by means of fumigation. 
The experiments were aimed at the Eed Scale, which is one of the most 
difficult to treat with washes. He describes the simplified tents, the 
rigging which enables them to be used rapidly, and shows the advantage 
of excluding the actinic rays of the light. Judging from recent Cali- 
fornia newspapers the use of this method of fighting scale-insects is 
rapidly increasing and the comparatively expensive apparatus is al- 
ready owned by a large number of fruit-growers. This imj^roved 
method is the legitimate outgrowth of experiments which we instituted 
at Los Angeles in 1887, and possesses the advantage over spraying that 
it can hardly be done in a slovenly manner. If used at all its effects 
are nearly complete. 

Mr. Albert Koebele, while reporting upon a number of interesting 
fruit pests, notably the Tent Caterpillars of the Pacific slope, and a 
Noctuid larva which destroys the buds of certain fruit trees, devotes 
most of his report to the description of certain tests, which I directed 
him to make with different resin compounds against the Grape Phyllox- 
era in the Sonoma Valley during September and October of the past 
year. The results have been fully as satisfactory as we anticipated, and 
the economy of the process is very striking, labor being practically the 
only expense. 

7 



8 

Miss Mary E. Murtfeldt reports upon tlie insects of the season in 
eastern Missouri, and also gives the results of experiments which she 
has made with certain insecticides submitted to her from this office for 
trial. She also presents descriptions of four Microlepidoptera, which 
are new in the role of feeders upon Apple. 

Prof. Herbert Osborn reports upon the insects injurious to forage- 
crops, meadows, and pastures in his State. His report last j'ear was 
mainly taken up with the consideration of the Leaf-Hoppers, to which 
he gives some further consideration this year, adding some notes on 
locusts and crickets. He presents also a series of miscellaneous obser- 
vations. 

Mr. F. M. Webster devotes his report mainly to the Hessian Fly, dis- 
cussing the number and development of broods, the efi'ect of the larvae 
upon plants, the effect of the weather on the development of the fall 
brood, and preventive measures. He also gives some notes upon three 
of the species of Plant-lice, found commonly upon wheat. 

In presenting this bulletin for publication, I desire to thank these 
agents for the care with which they have followed out instructions and 
for the intelligent manner in which they have conducted these investi- 
gations. 

C. V. E. 



EEPOET ON NEBRASKA INSECTS. 



By Lawrence Bkuxer. 



LETTER OF SUBMITTAL. 

Lincoln, Nebr., Octoler 16, 1890. 
Sir : Herewith is siibraitted a report of my work iu Nebraska for tlie year as special 
field agent of the Division of Entomology of the United States Department of Agri- 
culture. 

In addition to my observations on the general insect depredations within the State, 
I have incidentally given some time to the study of such insects as "were taken upon 
the sugar and other beets during the summer. 

This special study -was undertaken at the suggestion of our experiment station 
director, -who was quite anxious that "beet insects" should be made the subject of 
a special bulletin to be issued from the station some time during the coming winter. 
I accordingly include herewith a brief summary of the results of this special study. 
Yours truly, 

Lawrexce Bruner, 

Field Agent. 
Prof. C. V. Riley, 

U. S. Entomologist. 



The past summer has not been particularly noted as oue in which 
insect depredators were especially abundaut or destructive to the vari- 
ous crops that are raised in the State. In fact, takiug the State as a 
whole, the injuries from this source have been rather less than is usually 
the case. No one species, so far as I have been informed, has been a 
pest during the year. The Corn Eoot-worm {Diabrotica longicornis)^ 
while it has spread some since my last report, was much less abundant 
than last year. Cut-worms did not appear iu early summer so univer- 
sally over the State, nor did they do anything near the damage they 
did the year past. No Army- worm depredations have been reported at 
the station, nor have any come to my own obs ervation ; while the Corn 
Ear- worm {Heliothis annigera) has been less destructive in most portions 
of the region along the Missouri Eiver. 

If any one insect has been on the increase and has caused more in- 
jury than usual, it was the almost universal Codling Moth (at least 
universal wherever apples are grown or eaten). But if this insect has 
become apparently more widespread within this region than it was 

9 



10 

formerly, it is quite consoliug to kuow that the warfare against it has 
also become more general. Almost every fruit-grower has at last come 
to the forced conclusion that warfare against this insect, at least, has 
become an absolute necessity, and has accordingly instituted a rigor- 
ous fight against it. The arsenious spray is the almost universal 
remedy resorted to with our fruit-growers here in Nebraska, as it is 
in other localities. Either London purple or Paris green are the poisons 
used, and where applied properly always result favorably to the or- 
chardist. 

THE GREEN- STRIPED MAPLE WORM. 

The Green-striped Maple-worm {Anisota ruMcunda) appeared quite 
numerously again in the towns and cities of Nebraska, and has done 
much injury to the Soft Maples {Acer saccharinuni) growing along their 
streets. Here in Lincoln, the first or spring brood of larvre was suffi- 
ciently numerous to defoliate many of the largest trees before they 
had become fully matured, and in that manner proved to be quite 
effectual towards self-extermination. Many of the larvfe actually 
starved to death ; while others were so weakened from starvation that 
they either died in the chrysalis state, or else were so exhausted when 
they emerged as moths that there was but little egg-laying for a sec- 
ond brood. Some of the neighboring cities and towns were less for- 
tunate, and had a much more plentiful fall brood of the larvfe, and 
hence will be well supplied with the insect next spring unless something 
unforeseen prevents it. 

Considerable has been done in the way of remedies by the citizens of 
Lincoln against the second brood. Many of the moths were gathered 
and destroyed before they had time to deposit their eggs and later on 
in the season spraying the trees with London purple and Paris green 
was resorted to with good results. 

While a moderately dry summer usually has the tendency to increase 
the number of most of our injurious insects, several such years imme- 
diately following one another have the opposite effect. So it has been 
with the summer which has just closed. The drought was so very 
marked that even the more hardy insect life was sensibly affected by 
its severity. Such species as had been favored by the scarcity of their 
more frail parasites during several years of moderate drought, this year 
were themselves, to a certain degree, sensibly affected by its continu- 
ance and severity. 

LOCUSTS OR GRASSHOPPERS. 

Locusts or grasshopi^ers of several species were quite numerous in 
certain localities, especially in cities away from the destructive influ- 
ence of fowls and such other predaceous animals as are always at hand 
in the country ready to " gobble up " various insects. These locusts did 
some damage, of course, but not nearly so much as was done by them 



11 

last year. Whether this decrease in their numbers has been due to 
jiarasites or to disease, I can not say. 

One noticeable fact in connection with the subject of insect depreda- 
tions, in this particular region at least, is the growing interest which 
the general public is taking, and the tendency on the part of the jieople 
to help themselves against this host of insect enemies which is assailing 
them on all sides. Whether this interest is traceable to any particular 
source, or whether necessity is the awakening factor, I can not say. I 
trust, though, that my work in this direction has not been entirely in 
vain. 

BEET INSECTS. 

Ever since the Sugar Beet industry was first agitated here in the 
West, and now especially since the project has assumed such a prac- 
tical form, it has become of general interest. For several years now the 
cultivation of the sugar beet has been a theme for much speculation, 
and to some extent also of experimentation. Now that a large factory 
has been built at Grand Island in this State, the sugar beet is to be one 
of our regular crops year after year. It will no longer be a plant that 
is grown out of mere curiosity or simply for experimentation. 

It has been ascertained in connection with the culture of the sugar 
beet that certain insects show a tendency to attack and injure it. In 
this respect the beet is not any different from other cultivated plants; 
or, for that matter, wild or native ones also. In fact, it is too evident 
that certain ones of these insect enemies seem to prefer this "new" 
crop to any of these which have been cultivated in the same region for 
a considerable time. 

It was therefore thought here at the experiment station, early last 
summer, that it might be well, as far as practicable in connection with 
other lines of work, to give some attention to these insect enemies of 
the sugar beet. Accordingly the following "press bulletin" was sent 
out over the State: 

SUGGESTIONS IN REGARD TO THE SUGAR-BEET CULTURE. 

Eeports from the sub-stations estaWisbed in tbe spring by tbe State Experiment 
Station for tbe purpose of determining tbe effect of tbe varying conditions of tbe 
soil and climate on tbe growtb of and tbe production of sugar in tbe Sugar beet are 
in tbe main good. 

In manj^ i)laces, especially in tbe extreme western part of tbe State, beets bave 
suffered from bot weatber and a lack of rain ; as a rule, tbougb, tbey seem to witbstand 
tbese unfavorable conditions as ■well as corn and better tbau small grain. 

From some points reports tell us tbat insect enemies bave begun tbeir rav- 
ages. * * * 

As tbere are several kinds of insects tbat attack tbe beet, and as tbey bave already 
been reported as baviug begun oiieratious, it seems tbe proper time to begin to learn 
Bometbing of tbeir appearance, babits, and tbe best means of meeting tbeir advances. 
To tbis end tbe beets sbould be watcbed very carefully, from day to day and at dif- 
ferent times of tbe day, and even in tbe evening, for any insect, bug, or worm tbat 
seems to bave an interest in tbem ; searcb tbe leaves, pull up tbe beets and searcb tbe 



12 

roots and the toj) layer of the soil, and when any marauder is found send it to the 
experiment station for study and identification. 

Directions for sending such specimens I copy from Bulletin XIV on " Insects Inju- 
rious to Young Trees on Tree Claims," just issued : 

"Whenever possible, insects should be packed alive in some tight tin box — the 
tighter the better, as air-holes are not needed — along with a supply of their appro- 
priate food suflScient to last them on the journey ; otherwise they generally die on 
the road and shrivel up. 

" Send as full an account as possible of their habits; what part of the plant they 
infest, time of day when they are most active, amount of damage done, etc. 

" Packages should be marked with the name of the sender and should be addressed 
to the entomologist of the Agricultural Experiment Station, Lincoln, Nebr." 

It will aid very materially in forming conclusions if all people who have planted 
seed this season will send from time to time reports of the conditions of their beets 
to the experiment station. 

Address : 

H. H. Nicholson, 
Agricultural Experiment Station, Lincoln, Nehr. 

The very dry summer may have had considerable to do towards 
iufluencing much of the insect injury to the beets ^rown within the 
region designated, and some species of insects may have worked upon 
this plant that ordinarily would not have done so. In many localities 
various insects were observed to congregate among the leaf stems just 
above the ground that could not have been there for mischief, since 
they were such forms as do not feed upon growing plants. Especially 
was this true in portions of the State where the drought was severest 
and where other refugees from the burning sun and parched soil were 
scarce or entirely wanting. In many of these localities a great variety 
of insect life was always sure to be found hidden away during the day- 
time in such places. Not only beetles but also representatives of such 
other orders as the Hymenoptera, Hemiptera, Neuroptera, Orthoptera, 
Diptera, and Lepidoptera were quite common in such localities. Even 
many water-inhabiting forms frequently occurred in company with the 
others. 

Of course all of these insects that were found on or about the roots 
of the beets were sent in to the station both by the field agents and 
by the various correspondents, who took an interest in the investiga- 
tions under way. To separate most of these "refugees" from such 
other forms as might possibly be there for mischief was, of course, quite 
easily done at the station by those who were accustomed to the habits 
of most of the insects under consideration. A few of them were, how- 
ever, more difficult to single out, and required special study to decide 
positively, which in nearly every case was accomplished. 

In the study of this subject it was quickly demonstrated that almost 
all of the insect enemies of the sugar beet, as well as of the common 
garden and other varieties, were either weed feeders or else were such 
as are very general feeders. It was also ascertained that nearly if not 
quite all of the insects of whatsoever description tliat attack otber 



13 

Cbenopodiaceous plauts, as the various species of "tumble weeds," 
the "pig- weed," Atriplices, etc., the purslane and other juicy weeds, 
as also many of those that attack the various Cruciferse and Solanacete, 
will also feed upon the beet. Not a single species of insect has thus 
far been reported by any of the agents of the station, or by correspond- 
ents, that is exclusively a beet feeder. Every one of them has been as- 
certained to attack some one or more of the other plants that are also 
common to the region. Only a very few species have appeared in num- 
bers sufficiently great to be what could be termed "destructive" to the 
beet within the region covered by these studies or investigations ; and 
these few are of such a nature that they can be readily combated. 

In their modes of attack upon the beet these various insects, so far 
as they have been studied, are either leaf-feeders or root-borers, i. e., 
they either attack the foliage which they dcA^our or from which they 
suck the juices by inserting their beaks, or they bore into or gnaw the 
roots. Later on in our investigations we may find that, there are others 
that will attack the seeds and seed stems. In either of the former cases 
the result is an injury to the beet, whether it is being cultivated for the 
table, for feeding to stock, or for the manufacture of sugar. Should 
future study reveal others that attack the seed of the beet these latter 
would of course be of direct injury to the seed industry since much 
seed will necessarily have to be raised to provide for the large crops 
that are required each year for sugar. 

Having now become fully convinced that the cultivation of the Sugar 
Beet is not without its drawbacks here in the West, and that there are 
insects which we must contend against ajid overcome in raising this 
crop, as well as in the raising of corn, wheat, and potatoes, we see 
the necessity of beginning our fight at once if we would prevent much 
future loss. By prompt action in the beginning, when the enemies are 
few in numbers and less generally distributed, we will have a much 
easier time of it ; besides, our losses from this cause will be infinitely 
smaller than if we neglect them and permit them to go on increasing 
and spreading unmolestedly. 

The following list embraces all such species of insects as were either 
found to injure the beet here in Nebraska or else have been recorded 
by others as attacking this plant within the region referred to : 

List of Beet Ixsects. 

Species that attack the Leaves. 

Lepidoptera. 

1. Spilosoma virginica, Fab. — The larva of this very common insect, is one of 

the first noticed to injure the beet. It also infests a large number of other 
plants. • 

2. Sjjilosoma isaheUa, Abb. — The larva, like that of the preceding, attacks the beet 

and many of our common weeds. 

3. Mamestra picta, Harr. — Larva occasionally attacks the leaves of beet and other 

garden plants. 



14 

4. Eurijcreon rantalis, Gueu. — The larva of this small Pyralid moth is one of our 

most destructive l)eet insects. It is the oneusuallj' known as the Garden Web- 
worm ; and also attacks a number of other plants among which are the " Pig- 
weed," the tumble weed, purslane, etc. 

5. Mamestra irifolii, Rott. — Larva quite common on beets; and sometimes doing 

considerable injury by gnawing away the leaves and the entire tops of small 
plants. Also a purslane insect. 

6. Plusia brassicce, Eiley. — The larva occasionally attacks the beet, but more com- 

monly the turnip, cabbage, and other CruciferjB, 

7. DeUephila lineata, Fab. — Larva found feeding ou beet leaves in Lincoln, Nebr., 

by Mr. H. Marsland. A very common purslane insect. 

8. Copidrijas gloveri, G. and R. — Taken several times ou the leaves of beets which it 

had eaten more or less. An abundant purslane moth. 

9. Agrot'is, spp. — Several species of these "cut-worms" are occasionally quite de- 

structive to the beet while it is still small. They work more or less all summer, 
but are most destructive early in the year. They cut off the plant just at or a 
little below the surface of the ground. Some of them also work upon the leaves 
above the ground. 

10. Leucania unipuncta, Haw. — The Army' Worm, when it is abundant, does consider- 

able damage to beets and other garden plants by eating their foliage. 

11. Botis pesHcata, Grt. — The larva of this moth is said to be quite destructive to a 

number of plants here in the West. "In 1873 we found the larvte feedi g 
upon Helianthus, Ambrosia, potatoes, and beets, skeletonizing and ruining the 
plants for miles along the Neosho Valley and throughout Kansas," writes Pro- 
fessor Riley in the U. S. Agricultural Report for 1883. 

ORTIIOPTERA. 

12. MelanopJus femur-rnlrnm, DeG. — Occasionally injuring the leaves of beets and 

other vegetables. 

13. M. atlanis, Riley. — When common, a general feeder, at least upon the products 

of the garden and farm — beets of course included. 

14. M. spretus, Thos. — Attacks the beet during times of invasions. Sometimes en- 

tirely eating away the leaves and portions of root that protrude from the 
ground. 

15. M. differ entialis, Thos. — When plentiful it occasionally does some injury to the 

foliage of the beet and other garden plants. 

16. M. hivlttatus, Say. — Where beets are planted on low ground or are growing 

close to some rank vegetation, it attacks their tops, but never does much 
damage. 

17. Dissosteira Carolina, Lin. — Found feeding upon the tops of sugar beets during the 

month of July, at McCook, Nebr. 

18. Trimcrotropis laiifasciata, Scudd. — Taken in company with the preceding, also 

feeding on sugar beets. 

19. Spharagemon wquale, Scudd. — Several specimens "were received during the sum- 

mer from McCook and Ravenna, Nebr., with the accompanying statement to 
the etiect that they fed on the sugar beet. 

20. Pezotettix olivaceus, Scudd. — I have seen this hopper in beet fields several times 

under such circumstances as led me to think it feeds upon that plant. It is also 
quite partial to Helianthus and Chenopodium. 

COLEOPTERA. 

« 

21. Diahrotica Vi-punctata, Oliv. — Quite common ou the leaves of beets, which it in- 

jures by gnawing holes in them. 

22. Disonycha triangularis, Say. — The beetle feeds upon the leaves of beets and other 

Chenopodiaceous plants. Sometimes quite common here in the West. 



15 

23. D. cervicalis, Lee. — Has similar habits to the precedinf?, but is less abundant. 

24. D. xanthomcJ(ena, Dalm. — Commou on beets and other Cheuopodiaceous plants, 

the leaves of which it riddles with holes.' 

25. D, creiiicolUs, Say. — One of the 5-lined tiea-beetles that occur here in moderate 

numbers ; is also occasionally taken on beet leaves at Lincoln, Nebr. 

26. SystenafrontaJis, Fab. — Found feeding upon beet leaves on the College farm, Lin- 

coln, Xebr. ; also on the leaves of Hibiscus militaris at West Point, Nebr. 

27. S. ta'niata, va7'. hlauda, Melsh. — A very numerous species in all parts of the State 

from which beet-feeding insects have been received. It literally riddles the 
leaves of beets with pit-like holes, in some instances entirely destroying the 
leaves of quite large plants. I have also taken it upon white clover, purslaue, 
and amaranthus. This is liable to be one of our most destructive beet insects 
here in the West, especially in Nebraska. 

28. FsyUiodes convexior, Lee. — Another of the flea-beetles that is very abundant on 

the leaves of beets in some portions of Nebraska, and which works in a some- 
what similar manner to the preceding. 

29. C/!rr/ocHe»irt f7e«iiCH7ato, Illig. — I found still another of our small flea-beetles at 

work on the beets growing on the State farm here at Lincoln, although in much 
fewer numbers than either of the two species preceding. 

30. Epitrix cucumeris, Harr. — This small flea-beetle was found to be quite abundant 

at Ashland, Nebr., where it was taken by Mr. T. A. Williams, upon the potato, 
Solanum nigrum, and the beet, the leaves of all of which were more or less 
closely riddled with holes. 

31. Epicauta pennsylvanica, DeG. — This black blister-beetle injures the leaves of quite 

a number of plants, prominent among which are the potato, "pigweed," and 
beet. It has been received at the station from central and western Nebraska 
as one of the most destructive insects attacking the plant. 

32. Epicauta cinerea, Forst. — Another of these blister-beetles was found here at Lin- 

coln by Mr. Herbert Marsland, who said it 'almost ruined a small bed of beets 
growing in his garden. I have also collected the same sx^ecies from one of the 
wild beans an\l several other native plants. 

33. Epicauta macuJata, Say. — This insect has been received from Medicine Lodge, 

Kans., and from Grant and Neligh, Nebr., where it was found to injure the 
sugar beets by feeding on the leaves. It is a very common insect here in the 
West upon quite a number of the Cheuopodiaceous plants, and especially upon 
the various species belonging to the genera Chenopodium and Atriplex. 

34. Epicauta vittata, Fab.— This striped blister-beetle is also a beet insect; and has 

been received from Ogalalla, this State, where it was reported as doing much 
damage to sugar beets. It also is quite a general feeder. Among its food plants 
ate to be mentioned the SolanacefB, some of the Leguminoste, and I have found 
it to be quite destructive to several of the Sagittarite. 

35. Epicauta cinerea, var. marginata. — This large black blister beetle also frequently 

gathers upon vegetables of different kinds in the semi-arid regions east of the 
Rocky Mountains, but chiefly upon beans. I have taken it on beets once or 
twice here in Nebraska. 
3G. Cantharis nuitalli, Say. — During the late summer and early fall of 1888 this in- 
sect was very destructive to garden plants, beets included, in the Black Hills 
of South Dakota. It also abounds in the western and northwestern parts of 
Nebraska. 

37. Colasjiis hrunnea. Fab. — This small leaf beetle, which appears to be quite a gen- 

eral feeder, has been taken on several different occasions upon the beet both by 
myself and different ones of the field agents, and also by some of the correspond- 
ents. 

38. Epicm-ua imiricatus,Ssiy. — The Imbricated Snout-beetle has been known to attack 

the beet among the many other plants upon which it feeds. It is a general 
feeder. 



16 

39. Centrinus peniciUus, Hbst. — Another of the Suout-bettles that attack the beets 

here iu the West is the one known to the entomologist by the above name. It 
gnaws small holes in the leaf-stem, and when numerous does considerable harm 
to the i)lants attacked. Whether or not the insect breeds here I was unable to 
ascertain. 

40. C.jyerscitus, Hbst.— Still a third species of weevil was found upon the beets grow- 

ing on the State farm. It is a much commoner insect than peniciUus, and works 
iu a similar manner upon the leaf-stem. 

41. Apion, sp. — This little Apion was taken on the leaves of beets here at Lincoln on 

two separate occasions. 

42. DoryphoralO-lineata, Say. — The Colorado Potato-beetle was brought into my office 

at different times during the summer by those who reported its having been 
captured on the leaves of beet which it was " certainly eating." 

HETEROPTEEA. 

43. BHssus leuGopteriis, Say. — The Chinch Bug has quite frequently been taken by 

me upon beet tops in company with several others of the plant bugs. Whether 
or not it was there only temporarily, I can not say ; but suppose it was, since 
all of our leading economic entomologists assert that its food-plants are limited 
to the grasses. 

44. Piesma cinerea, Say. — A very common bug on the beet and various others of the 

Chenopodiaceous plants. Sometimes doing much damage to the leaves of the 
former. 

45. Nysius angitstatus, Uhl. — Another bug that often gathers upon the beet and other 

garden plants is what is called the False Chinch-bug. When numerous it 
often does considerable harm to the i^lauts which it attacks. It is also one of 
the weed insects that enjoys a wide range. 

46. Geocoris hullatus, Say. — The Large-headed False Chinch-bug, or Purslane Bug, is 

also much addicted to infesting the beet here in Nebraska. In fact it has been 
received from all over the State as one of the commonest • of insects infesting 
the beet. It is also a great weed bug. 

47. Trapezonotus nehulosus, Fall. — This bug also frequents the beet and several other 

Chenopodiaceous plants. It is especially partial to the Pigweed (Chenopo- 
dium album) here in Nebraska. 

48. Emilethis arenarius, Linn. — Taken several times on the beet in company with the 

preceding. This insect also is a frequenter of localities where CUenopodium al- 
bum is growing. The species also occurs about the roots of " Stink Grass" 
{Eragrostis major), 

49. Lygus pratenais, Linn. — Probably one of the most general feeders among the true 

bugs, and sometimes a very destructive enemy of the beet. It occurs through- 
out the entire North American continent in the temperate regions. 

50. Eutlioctha galeator, Fab. — This bug has also been taken several times on the beet 

in the vicinity of Lincoln, Nebr. I have collected it also from the wild cucum- 
ber {Echinocystis lohata). 

HOMOPTERA. 

51. AgaUia sicci/olia. — This little leaf-hopper, which seems to be especially partial to 

the different species of Amarantus and Chenopodium and allied weeds, is also 
equally fond of the beet, at least such would appear to be the fact, judging from 
the large numbers of the insect that are invariably to be found upon this plant 
all through the summer. It occurs in all stages. 

52. Immature forms only. — Found in moderate numbers on the sugar beet at Grant, 

Nebr., a rather large leaf-hopper, which also occurs upon the Amarantus and 
Chenopodium. 



17 

5:'. AUijgua sp. — This prettily marked leaf-bopper is very partial to Cheno])odium al- 
bum, on the under side of the leaves of which it breeds throughout the summer. 
This insect also attacks other species of the same genus, those of the genera Ama- 
ranlns and Montilia, etc. Besides these it is very frequently found on the beet. 
Characttristic marks of its presence are the rather large purplish spots that are seen 
upon the leaves of plants that have been punctured by its beak. 

54. Erythroneura sp. — Another small, slender, green leaf-hopper that is occasionally 
met with upon the beet. 

55. A1hi)sanus (? sp.). — Still another of these leaf-hoppers that is found upon the beet. 

56. Liburnia inttrtexta. — There is still a sixth of these leaf-hoppers that has been taken 
on the beet here in Nebraska ; and which presumably also does some injury to that 
plant by sucking its juices. 

57. Aphis atriplicis, Linn. — Mr. T. A. Williams tells me that he has taken this plant- 
louse on the beet at Ashland, this State, where it was quite common during the 
year. 

58. Aphis cucumeris, Forbes. — This past summer Mr. Williams also took what he de- 
termined to be the Ajyhis cucumeris, Forbes, breeding quite abundantly upon some 
beets that grew right by the side of some encumber vines that had been infested 
by the same insect. 

59. Siphonophora pisi, Kalt. — The same gentleman tells me that he has also taken the 
common garden aphid here at Lincoln, on the beet. He found it in the pupa and 
■winged stages. 

Species that attack the Boot. 

COLEOPTERA. 

60. Ligijrus gibbosus, De G. — This beetle has been quite destructive to the sugar beet 
over limited areas towards the western part of the State during the present season. 
It attacks the root, into which the matui-e insect gnaws great holes, sometimes 
entirely imbedding itself. It worked most on old ground and where irrigation was 
resorted to. It worked on the roots from the surface to a considerable depth but 
most at about 3 or 4 inches below the surface. In some iustances it reached a depth 
of fully 7 inches below the surface. 

61. Lachnosterna fusca, Froh. — Not unfrequently tlie common white grub attacks the 
roots of the beet, and does injury to the plant in that way. There are very likely 
several kinds of the "grub" that are concerned in these attacks, since almost every 
locality has its particular species of " June bug " that predominates in numbers. 

62. Wire Worms. — Several of the larva) of " snapping beetles," or click beetles, are 
also to be charged with injuring the roots of beets in some localities. 

63. Unknown larva. — On two difl'ereut occasions during the past summer I found beets 
that had been attacked by some unknown larva just below the surface of the 
ground, and from which the depredator had already escaped. The work resem- 
bled that of an insect that works in the roots of different "tumble weeds" and 
causes them to break olf. The larva* are rather short, thick, whitish grubs with 
brownish heads, about oue-fourtli of an inch in length, slightly largest in the mid- 
dle ; possibly the larva of some snout beetle. 

UNCERTAIN. 

64. Silpha opaca, Linn. — This insect has been taken several times by mo in beet fields, 
and in gardens where beets were growing. In Europe the insect is said to be quite 
injurious to the beet crop, by attacking and devouring the leaves. Whether or not 
it has the same habit in this country I can not say. 

In addition to the above list of insects that are known to actually 
attack one or the other varieties of beet there are several others that 
25910— Bull. 23 2 



18 

have been taken so frequently upon that plant, and under such pecu. 
liar circumstances, that they, too, may prove to be its enemies. Among 
these latter I would mention several of the Eleodes, one Collops, and 
several Diptera. 

REMEDIES THAT CAN BE USED AGAINST BEET INSECTS. 

It will be quiclily seen by auy one who has taken the pains to go 
over the foregoing list, that in nearly every case, at least so far as men- 
tioned here, the insect enemies of the beet are identical with those that 
work upon our common garden weeds, or else they are such as are very 
general feeders. It will also be observed that most of them are 
leaf feeders; i. e., they nearly all attack that portion of the plant 
above ground. These being the facts in the case, the remedies that at 
once suggest themselves are simple. A spray of some kind scattered 
over the plants will be effectual as well as economical. The beet tops 
are seldom utilized for food, either for man or beast. Hence for pro- 
tection against insects with gnawing mouth parts that attack them an 
arsenical spray can be used, whilst for such as receive their nourish- 
ment by means of a sucking month the kerosene emulsion will answer 
the purpose. This latter remedy will also be effective against No. 27, 
as has been demonstrated by actual experiment by at least one of our 
correspondents, who writes that " The kerosene emulsion which you 
directed me to try on my beets against the flea-beetles was a i)erfect 
success." 

A direct as well as useful remedy is the careful destruction of all 
such weeds as furnish food for the same insects that attack the beet. 
Clean culture in this case becomes doubly' necessary. First, to prevent 
the appropriation by the weeds of nourishment that should be taken by 
the beets, and secondly, to give less room for the propagation of inju- 
rious insects. 



EEPORT ON VARIOUS METHODS FOR DESTROYING SCALE 

INSECTS. 



By D. W. CoQUiLLETT, Special Agent. 



LETTEK OF SUBMITTAL. 

Los Angeles, Cal., October S, 1890. 

Sir: I herewith submit my annual report for the season of 1890. The Australian 
lady-bird ( Vcdalia cardinalis Mulsant) recently introduced by this Division, success- 
fully survived the winter unprotected out of doors, and as early as the month of 
March I was able to distribute several colonies to those requesting them. Lest this 
species, after exterminating the Fluted or Cottony-cushion Scale (Icerya purchasi 
Maskell) should become extinct on this coast, our State Board of Horticulture, at the 
suggestion of its president, Hon. Ellwood Cooper, has erected two propagating 
houses over two large orange trees belonging to Col. J. R. Dobbins, in the San Ga- 
briel Valley ; in these houses the Vedalias are to be propagated and distributed to 
those requiring them. At the present writing it is no easy matter to find a single 
living Icerya anywhere in this part of the State, although in the early part of the 
season they appeared in limited numbers in a great many places ; later in the season 
the Vedalias also appeared in considerable numbers, and by sendingcolonies of these 
to the different localities where the Iceryas had appeared, the latter were effectually 
held in check. 

The Red Scale {Aspidiotus aurantii Maskell), so destructive to Citrus trees in certain 
localities, is rapidly reduced in numbers through the agency of the treatment with 
hydrocyanic acid gas, described in my previous reports. This treatment is now being 
largely used for the above mentioned purpose, and is giving far better results than 
have ever been obtained by the use of any kind of a spray ; numerous instances have 
occurred where, upon large Citrus trees treated with this gas, neither myself nor other 
parties were able to tiud a single living Red Scale, either upon the bark, leaves, or 
fruit — a result which so far as I am aware has never been obtained by the use of any 
kind of a spray. The cost of treating trees with the gas is scarcely greater than that 
of using a spray, while the method has been so greatly simxjlified that trees can now 
be treated with the gas very nearly as rapidly as they can be sprayed. I have not as 
yet learned that any person, or even a single domestic animal, has ever been acci- 
dentally injured either by the gas itself or by the materials used in producing it. All 
of the objections which at first were urged against the use of this gas — the danger of 
being poisoned by it or by the chemicals used, the great expense attached to its use, 
ami the impracticability of operating the tents— have finally been overcome, and the 
treatment is now in successful operation. 

In my last report I gave an account of the spraying of a number of orange trees 
at Orange according to instructions. These trees were not again sprayed until the 
lajise of a little over one year. At this latter date the trees were again badly infested 

19 



20 

with tlio Red Scale {Aspidiotufi auraufii Maskell), althongli tliese were not so nnmer- 
ons as they were at tlie time that I bad tiieiii sprayed a little over one year previouKly. 
The oranges when gathered in the following s[)ring were qnito free from the scales, 
none of them having been rejected by the i)nrchaser on account of being too badly 
infested with these pests. Those who depend upon spraying for ridding their trees 
of these scales usually spray their trees twice a year, in March or April, and again 
in August or September, although some growers perform these operations only in the 
autumn, the second spraying being given to the trees about two months after the 

first. 

During the past season I have received numerous favors from you, especially in 
the matter of ideutifyiug insects, for all of which please accept thanks. 
Eespectfully yours, 

D. W. COQUILLETT. 

Prof. C. V. Riley, 

United States Entomologist 



THE GAS TREATMENT FOR THE RED SCALE. 

The process of treating trees with hydrocyanic acid gas for the de- 
struction of scale insects (Family Coccidfe) is now being extensively 
used in southern California, not only in the orange groves, but also in 
the nursery where the imported trees are subjected to this treatment 
for the purpose of ridding them of insect pests. In Orange County 
alone fully 20,000 orange and lemon trees have been subjected to this 
treatment the present year in order to free them from the red scale 
{Aonidia aurantii Maskell). 

Since the year 1887 various accounts of this process have been pub- 
lished in some of the Annual Reports and Periodical Bulletins of this 
Department.* 

But as these are somewhat scattered, and Include an account of the 
various improvements that have been made from time to time, I have 
thought it desirable to give in this place a brief account of this process 
as at present used in actual field work, including in the account such 
improvements as have been made since writing up my last report upon 
this subject. Briefly speaking, this process consists in covering the 
infested tree with an air-tight tent and afterward charging the tent 
with hydrocyanic acid gas. The material commonly used in the con- 
struction of the tent is what is known as blue or brown drilling. A 
few persons have used common ducking in place of the drilling, but 
this is much inferior to the latter; in the ducking the threads of which 
it is composed extend only lengthwise and crosswise, whereas in the 
drilling they also extend diagonally — this belonging to the class of 
goods to which our merchants apply the term "twilled" — and for this 
reason the drilling is both stronger and closer in texture than the 
ducking. 



* See Annual Report United States Department of Agriculture for the year 1887, 
j)p.l23-14'2; and 1888, pp. 123-126. Also Insect Life, vol. 1, pp. 41,42 and 286; and 
vol. II, p. 202-207. 



21 

After the tent is sewed up it is given a coat of black paint, as it lias 
been ascertained that tents treated in this manner last longer than 
those which have been simply oiled with linseed oil. Some persons mix 
a small qnantity of soap suds with the paint in order to render the lat- 
ter more pliable when dry, and therefore less liable to crack. Instead 
of thus ])aintingthe tent some persons simply give it a coating made of 
an inferior grade of glue called '• size," lirst dissolving this in water and 
then covering the teat with it, using a whitewash brush for this pur- 
pose. Sometimes a small quantity of whiting or chalk (carbonate of 
lime, CaCo3),is added to this sizing with or without the addition of lamp- 
black. A few make use of the mucilaginous juice of the common Cactus 
{Opuntia engelmanni Salm.) for this purpose; to obtain this the Cactus 
leaves or stems are cut or broken up into pieces, thrown into a barrel 
and covered with water, after which they are allowed to soak for three 
or four days ; the liquid portion is then drawn off and is ready for use 
without further preparation. Tents which I saw that had been pre- 
pared with this substance were to all appearances as air-tight and j)li. 
able as when prepared in any other manner. 

A tent 26 feet tall by 60 feet in circumference — a size large enough to 
cover the largest orange tree now growing in this State — if made out of 
drilling, and either painted or sized, as described above, will cost com- 
pleted about $60. Where the trees to be treated are not more than 12 
feet tall the tent can be placed over them by means of poles in the 
hands of three persons ; to accomplish this, three iron rings are sewed to 
the tent at equal distances around and 6 or 7 feet from the bottom of 
the tent ', immediately under each of these rings an iron hook is attached 
to the lower edge of the tent. When the latter is to. be placed over a 
tree each of the hooks is fastened into the corresponding ring above it j 
one end of a pole is then inserted into each of these rings and the tent 
raised up and placed on the tree. The hooks are then released from the 
rings and the lower edge of the tent allowed to drop upon the ground. 

Instead of allowing the tent to rest directly on the tree some growers 
use an umbrella-like arrangement, the handle of which is in two pieces, 
which are fastened together with clamps provided with pins ; this 
allows the handle to be lengthened or shortened according to the height 
of the ti ee. This apparatus is put up over the tree and the tent allowed 
to rest upon it. By the use of this simple device the danger of break- 
ing off the small twigs on the upper part of the tree by the weight of 
the tent is avoided. Mr. Leslie, of Orange, used four tents and tent- 
rests of this kind, and he informs me that with the aid of two men he 
lumigated 120 trees in one night. To remove the tent from one tree, 
place it over another, and charge the generator required only one minute 
and a half. In the place of poles some persons attach a circle of gas 
pipe to the lower edge of the tent ; then two men, each taking hold of 
opposite sides of this circle, throw the tent over the tree. Dr. J. H. 
Dunn, of Pomona, informs me that four men, using six tents like the 



22 

above, fumigated 240 orange trees in one night, and that the average 
for each night was over 200 trees, the latter being 8 feet or less in 
height. 

Trees over 12 feet tall will require a derrick of some kind for the pur- 
pose of putting on the tent and removing it again. For this purpose a 
stout mast is erected in the center of a strong framework mounted 
upon the running gears of a common farm wagon, the height of the 
mast depending npon the height of the trees to be operated upon. This 
mast is braced in four directions, and to the upper end of it is firmly 
attached a cross-piece, extending transversely to the length of the 
wagon, and long enough to reach from one row of trees to another. To 
each end of this cross-piece are attached small i^ulleys, through which 
pass ropes which are attached to the tents ; by pulling down on these 
ropes the tents are drawn up to the cross piece after which the wagon 
is drawn ahead until the tents are directly over two of the trees to be 
treated ; the ropes are then let out and the tents lowered down over 
the trees. The ropes are usually attached to the lower edge of the 
tents as well as to their apices, and when the tent is to be taken off of 
the tree the ropes attached to the bottom of it are first pulled down- 
ward, thus drawing the lower part of the tent up to the cross-piece 
first, and in a measure turning the tent inside out. But for this device 
it would be necessary to have the cross-piece at least twice the height 
of the trees to be operated upon. This apparatus is drawn between 
two rows of trees and the trees on each side of it treated with the gas. 
It is customary for the men themselves to draw the fumigatorfrom tree 
to tree, thus doing away with the use of horses for this purpose. Stout 
planks are frequently used for the wheels of the fumigator to run upon. 
A fumigator of this kind, without the accompanying wagons and tents, 
can be built for about $15, it being the cheapest and simplest apparatus 
ever used for this purpose. It has not as yet been patented, and is 
more largely used at the present time than any other kind, operating 
the tents successfully even upon the largest orange trees. The first 
fumigator of this kind was built by Mr. O. H. Leefeld, a prominent 
orange-grower of Orange, and a man who has had considerable experi- 
ence as a machinist. 

Within the past few weeks a new kind of a fumigator has been 
brought out by Mr. W. H. Souther, of Covina, Los Angeles County, 
Cal. This, like the preceding one, is mounted upon a common farm 
wagon, and operates two tents, one on either side of it. At each end 
of this fumigator are four upright posts .attached at their lower ends to 
the framework, which is mounted on the wagon ; the outermost posts 
are shorter than the inner ones, and to the upper end of each is attached 
a long spar by a hinged joint, which allows the spar to be moved back 
and forth transversely to the length of the wagon. The two spars on 
one side of the fumigator are connected with each other near their upper 
ends by means of a wooden cross-piece, and are drawn back and forth 



23 

by means of ropes passing tliroiigli pulleys. Tlie tents are operated by 
means of ropes, which pass through pulleys attachcnl to the spars and 
cross-pieces described above, there being five ropes attached to each 
tent ; one of these is attached to the apex of the tent, and passes 
through a pulley fastened to the middle of the above-mentioned cross- 
l)iece ; two other ropes are attached to opposite sides of the tent, about 
midway between its apex and base, and pass through pulleys fastened 
to each of the spars near their upper ends ; the other two ropes are 
attached to opposite sides of the lower edge of the tent and pass through 
pulleys fastened to each of the spars a few feet higher up than those 
above described. To the bottom of the tent is attached a wooden cir- 
cle in several pieces, and the two ropes attached to the bottom of the 
tent are fastened to this circle ; these ropes are not exactly on opposite 
sides of the tent, the space between them equaling about one-third of 
the entire circumference of the lower edge of the tent. 

In taking the tent oft' of a tree the two ropes attached to the tent 
midway between its base and apex are first drawn downward until their 
points of attachment are slightly above the top of the tree, after which 
the two ropes attached to the lower edge of the tent are drawn down- 
ward until their points of attachment are drawn up against the spars 
at the places where the pulleys through which these ropes pass are fas- 
tened ; the lower edge of the tent at this stage will be perpendicular 
to the surface of the ground, and these ropes are further pulled upon 
until the spars on this side of the wagon are perpendicular to the 
wagon, thus bringing the weight of the tent upon the middle of the 
wagon ; the spars are prevented from going over backward any farther 
by the presence of the inner upright posts referred to at the beginning 
of this description. When both of the tents have thus been drawn upon 
the wagon the latter is moved forward until the tents are brought op- 
posite the next two trees. Before the tents are again let down over 
the trees the fumigator is first braced up by means of four long braces 
attached to each of the four corner jiosts at a distance of about 8 feet 
from the ground ; these are attached in such a manner that they may 
be swung out at right angles to the fumigator, or, when not in use, may 
be swung around and loaded upon the wagon without first detaching 
them. After these four braces are in position the ropes attached to one 
of the tents are let out and the tent allowed to fall down over the tree, 
a guide rope being attached to its lower edge to aid in guiding it in its 
downward descent over the tree, 

Mr. Souther, the inventor of this fumigator, informs me that a fumi- 
gator of this kind, without the wagon and tents, could be built for about 
$G0. He also informs me that a patent has been granted to him upon 
this fumigator. 

Besides the above fumigators T may also mention one which has been 
used in a few instances with very good results. It is an extremely 
simple affair, consisting of an upright post the lower end of which is 



24 

attached to a framework on a wagou or sled, while to its upper end is 
attached a long stick of timber, the latter being attached near its middle 
to the top of the post, like the sweep of an old-fashioned well. The 
tent is then attached to one end of the sweep, and by pulling downward 
on the opposite end the tent is raised up, and may then be swung 
around and let down over a tree. 

After the tent is placed over the tree the next step is to charge it 
with the gas. The materials used for the production of the gas consist 
of commercial sulphuric acid (K2 SO4), fused potassium cyanide (KCN), 
and water, the proportions being 1 fluid ounce of the acid, 1 ounce by 
weight of the dry cyanide, and 2 fluid ounces of water. The generator 
is placed under the tent at the base of the tree ; it consists of a common 
open earthenware vessel. The water is first placed in the generator, 
then the acid, and last the cyanide, after which the operator withdraws 
to the outside of the tent and the bottom of the latter is fastened down 
by having a few shovelfuls of earth thrown upon it. The tent is allowed 
to remain ov er the tree for a period of from 15 to 30 minutes, according 
to the size of the tree. 

It was found by experimenting that the trees were less liable to be 
injured by the gas when treated at night than they were when operated 
upon in day time, and at the same time the gas is just as fatal to the 
scale insects when applied at night as it would be if applied in the day 
time ; and indeed it appears to be even more fatal when applied at night. 
This is accounted for by reason of the fact that in the day time the light 
and heat decompose the gas into other gases which, while being more 
hurtful to the trees, are not so fatal to insects. At night the trees are 
also more or less in a state of rest, and therefore are not so liable to be 
iujured by the gas as they would be in the day time, when they are 
activelj^ engaged in absorbing nourishment and replacing wasted tissue 
with new materials. 

Of the different materials used in generating the gas, the most 
important is the potassium cyanide; of this there are three grades: 
The mining cyanide, commercial cyanide, and the C. P. (chemically 
pure). Of these three brands, the mining cyanide is wholly unsuitable 
for the production of the gas, and the 0. P. is too expensive ; the com- 
mercial brand (fused) is the only one that is used for producing the 
gas, but even this varies greatly in strength, containing all the way 
from 33 to 58 per cent, of ])ure potassium cyanide. It is, therefore, of 
the utmost importance that the operator should know the exact per- 
centage of pure potassium cyanide that his cyanide contains, and when 
large quantities of it are purchased at one time it would be advisable 
to obtain one or more analyses of it by a reliable analytical chemist j 
or if it is not possible to submit the cyanide to such person, an analysis 
of it could be made by almost any person accustomed to the use of 
chemicals or d'^ugs. 

The only substance required for this purpose is the crystals of nitrate 



25 

of silver (AgNOa), which may be obtained at almost any well-stocked 
drug store. Dissolve the nitrate iu cold water contained in a glass or 
earthen vessel, using one-fourth of an ounce (Troy) of the crystals to 1 
innt of water ; this dissolves in a few minutes, forming a whitish, semi- 
transparent solution. The cyanide, when dissolved in water, forms a 
transparent, nearly colorless solution ; when a small quantity of the 
nitrate of silver solution is added to this it at first spreads out in a white 
cloud, like milk, but it soon breaks up into small, white, tloccy pivjes 
which gradually disappear upon being agitated, leaving the solution 
nearly as transparent as at first; when more of the nitrate of silver 
solution is added from time to time the above process is repeated, ex- 
cept toward the last, when the cyanide solution becomes somewhat 
milky, but it still remainssemitransparent, permitting the operator to see 
quite clearly the bottom of the vessel containing the solution. As soon 
as a sufficient quantity of the nitrate of silver solution has been added 
tothe cyanide solution thelatter immediately becomes white andopaque, 
like milk, completely concealing from view the bottom of the vessel con- 
taining it. This completes the operation, and the quantity of nitrate 
of silver solution used will indicate the strength of the cyanide tested. 
When absolutely pure, 5| grains of the potassium cyanide dissolved in 
water will require 1 fluid ounce of the above nitrate of silver solution 
before the turbidity occurs, indicating that the cyanide is 100 per cent, 
strong; if only one-half of a fluid ounce of the nitrate of silver solution 
produces this turbidity, this indicates that the cyanide in only half 
strength, or 50 per cent, strong; if only one-fourth of a fluid ounce is 
required, then the cyanide is 25 per cent, strong ; and so forth. The 
nitrate of silver solution should be added to the cyanide solution very 
slowly, the latter being agitated by gently shaking it each time that 
any of the nitrate solution is added. Wherever any of the nitrate of 
silver solution comes iu contact with the skin or nails of the hand it 
produces a reddish or black stain which can easily be removed by wash- 
ing the stained part in a solution of potassium cyanide and water; this 
will quickly remove the stain without causing any injury to the parts 
aifected, except, of course, when the stains occur upon a sore or cut in 
the hand, in which case it would be very dangerous to apply the cyanide 
to these places. 

It sometimes happens that the percentage of cyanogen (CN or Cy)is 
given, instead of the percentage of potassium cyanide (KON or KCy); 
but in cases of this kind the percentage of cyanide can be readily ascer- 
tained by always bearing in mind that two-fifths of a given quantity of 
potassium cyanide is cyanogen. Thus if a certain brand of cyanide 
contains 24 per cent of cyanogen, this is equivalent to 60 per cent of 
pure potassium cyanide. Potassium cyanide when absolutely pure 
(equal to 100 per cent.) contains 40 per cent, of cyanogen; and, there- 
fore, no grade of cyanide could contain a larger percentage of cyano- 
gen than this. 



26 



The potassium cyanide used for producing the hydrocyanic acid gas 
is principally manufactured by two firms : Power & Weightman, of 
Philadelphia, Pa., and the Mallinkrodt Chemical Works, of .St. Louis^ 
Mo. That made by the first named firm is the most largely used ; when 
purchased by the ton the price is 36 cents per pound for the grade con- 
taining about 57 per cent of pure potassium cyanide, i^ackages and 
carriage extra. It is put up in tin cans liolding 10 i)ounds each, and 
also in barrels holding about 400 ])ounds each. That in the cans is 
much to be preferred, since the quantity in each is so small that it will 
soon be used up after the can is opened ; whereas, the barrel contain- 
ing so large a quantity, the cyanide used toward the last will have lost 
much of its strength by contact with the air. It is customary to weigh 
out the cyanide in small paper parcels, and mark each parcel with the 
number of ounces of cyanide that it contains; then when the tree is to 
be fumigated it is an easy matter for the operator to select one of the 
parcels containing a sufficient quantity of the cyanide for the tree, thus 
saving the trouble of weighing out the cyanide as it is to be used for 
each tree. As the fumigating is done only at night the weighing of the 
cyanide is freciuently done by the ladies of the house upon the day pre- 
ceding its use. 

The quantity of cyanide to be used on each tree will, of course, de- 
pend not only upon the size of the tree but also upon the strength of the 
cyanide used. The following table will aid in determining the proper 
quantity of each ingredient to be used on different sized citrus trees, 
the cyanide being about 58 per cent pure : 



Height 


Diameter 


Water. 


Sulphuric 


Potas.siuni 


of tree. 


of tree-top. 


acid. 


cyanide. 


Feet. 


Feet. 


Fluid ozs. 


Fluid ozs. 


Ounces. 


C 


i 


s 


h 


h 


8 


6 


2' 


1 


1 


10 


8 


4i 


2' 




V> 


10 


8 


4" 


4 


12 


14 


10 


8 


8 


14 


10 


10 


5 


5 


14 


14 


:o 


9i 


n 


IG 


12 


16 


8 


8 


16 


IG 


29 


Uh 


14J 


18 


14 


20 


i;r 


13 


20 


16 


36 


18 


18 


22 


18 


52 


26 


26 


24 


20 


66 


33 


33 



Not only is this gas fatal to the lied scale {Aspidiotus aurantii Mas- 
kell), but also to the San Jose scale {Aspidiotus perniciosus Comstock), 
and indeed to all of the armored scales. It is also fatal to the Brown 
scale [Lecanium hesperiduin Linn.) and to the Black scale {Lecanium 
olece Bernard), but the eggs of this species are not affected by it. 
The common lied Spider {Tetranychns telarins Linn.) and the Woolly 
Aphis {Schizoneura lanigera Hausmann) are also not affected by the gas 
when used strong enough to destroy the lied scale, although I have 
known it to prove fatal to true spiders (si)ecies not determined). House- 
flies {Mitsca domestica Linn.), Lace-winged flies {Chrysopa sp.?), and cer- 



27 

tain kinds of Iclinenmon flies {Ophion macrurum Linn.) are also de- 
stroyed by the gas. On one occasion I obtained a cluster of eggs of a 
species of Psocus fly {GaiciUm aurantiacus Hagen) that were deposited 
upon a leaf of a tree before the latter had been treated with the gas, 
and from these eggs afterwards issued a number of parasitic flies be- 
longing to the family Proctotrupidte and to the genus Alaptus ; but the 
species is as yet undescribed. Various kinds of Lady-birds, which are 
in the tree when the latter is treated with the gas, become stupefied and 
fall to the ground, but finally recover and are to all appearance none 
the worse for their temporary loss of consciousness. Birds, lizards, and 
even barn-yard fowls sometimes refuse to leave the large orange trees 
while the tent is being let down over them at night, and are therefore 
inclosed in the tent and subjected to the gas ; the latter i)roves fatal to 
all of these. The small, pale yellow mites which are frequently found 
on orange trees, especially beneath the dead scales, are not affected by 
the gas; these have a general resemblance to the young of the Ked scale, 
and several operators, finding these mites still alive after the tree had 
been subjected to the gas, came to the erroneous conclusion that the 
gas had not been effectual, thinking that these mites were the young of 
the Red scale. 

From the above it will be seen that the gas treatment is not a sure 
specific for every kind of insect pest, but for destroying Red scales on 
citrus trees it is far superior to any other method at present known. 

THE RESIN WASH FOR THE SAN JOSE SCALE. 

During the past winter I carried on quite a series of exi:)eriments with 
various kinds of washes for the destruction of the San Jose scale 
{Aapidiotus perniciosus Comstock) on dormant deciduous trees, kindly 
placed at my disposal by Mr. C. H. Richardson, the inspector of fruit 
I)ests for the Pasadena district, Mr. Richardson also aiding me in mak- 
ing many of these experiments. Among all of the washes tried the fol- 
lowing gave the best results : 

Resin pounds.. 30 

Caustic soda (70 per cent) do 9 

Fish oil... pints.. 4| 

Water, enough to make gallons . . 100 

For making 100 gallons of the above wash a kettle holding 30 gallons 
will be required. Place all of the ingredients in the kettle and cover 
with water to a depth of 4 or 5 inches, boil briskly for about 2 hours, or 
until it will dilute evenly with water, like black coffee, which it closely 
resembles in color. When this stage is reached the kettle should be 
filled up with water, adding this very slowly at first; the contents of 
the kettle can then be emptied into a tank or other vessel, and a suffi- 
cient quantity of water added to make 100 gallons. Care should be 
taken not to chill the wash by adding large quantities of cold water at 
one time. 



28 

The making of this wash will be greatly accelerated if tbe resin and 
caustic soda are first pulverized before being placed in the kettle; if in 
large pieces, a considerable length of time will be required in which to 
dissolve them. If a sufficient quantity of water is not used at first the 
materials when dissolved will form a thick, pasty mass, which simply 
breaks open in places to allow the steam to escape, and pieces of the 
mixture will be thrown out of the boiler or against its sides or lid by 
the escaping steam. When this occurs, water should be added until 
the solution boils up in a foamy mass. Whenever there is a tendency 
to boil over a small quantity of cold water should be added, but not 
too much, or the making of the solution will be retarded; after a few 
trials tl)e operator will learn how much water to add in order to pre- 
vent the solution from boiling over and yet keep it in a brisk state of 
ebullition. If it is not desired to add all of the water at the same time 
that tiie solution is made, then enough can be added to equal two- 
fifths of the quantity required; the balance of the water can then be 
added at any subsequent time without again heating the solution. 
Thus, if a suflScient quantity of the solution is boiled to make when 
diluted 100 gallons, this could first be diluted to make only 40 gallons, 
and the remaining 60 gallons of water added at any time as required. 
If it is desired to use it in a still more concentrated form than this, it 
need not be diluted at all after it has been boiled sufficiently, but in 
this case it will be necessary to heat it again before adding the water. 

On the 11th of February, between the hours of 1:30 and 4:20 p. m. 
(sun shining, light breeze), I had 60 dormant deciduous fruit trees 
sprayed with the above solution. Theae consisted of peach, plum, apple, 
pear, and quince trees; none of them had started to leaf out except the 
quince, which had put forth a few leaves at the tips of some of its 
branches. Each of these trees was infested with the San Jose scale 
{Asindiotus perniciosus Comstock) and several of them had been almost 
killed by the attacks of this pest. April 23 I made a careful examina- 
tion of these trees and found only a very few living San Jose scales; 
all of thetrees except those which were nearly dead when sprayed were 
now making a vigorous growth. May 12 I again examined these trees, 
and found living San Jose scales on only three of them, about half a 
dozen scales on each. I made another examination on the 11th day of 
June, and found a few San Jose scales on some of the pears on the 
above trees. All of the Black scales {Lecanium oleoe Bernard) which 
I found on these trees were dead, and their eggs were dry. July 24 I 
again examined these trees and found three or four living San Jose 
scales on a few pears and apples on some of the trees, but the fruit was 
practically clean, whereas on adjoiDing trees which had not been 
sprayed nearly all of the pears were very badly infested with these 
scales. There was, however, a singular exception to this: A LeConte 
pear tree that stood in the midst of several Bartlett and Winter Nelis 
pear trees, which were very badly infested with the San Jose scale, was, 



29 

wholly free from this pest. Nor is this an isolated case, since I saw 
the same thing; in another pear orchard located several miles from this 
one. Mr. Eichardson informs me, however, that the frnit of this tree 
is almost worthless. 

Wishing to test the effects of the above wash on growing trees, I 
sprayed a prnne, peach, apricot, apple, and orange tree on the 12th day 
of May, between the hours of 10 and 11 a. m., sun shining, light breeze. 
I examined these on the 11th of June ; on the prune all of the fruit had 
dropped off", and upon one-third of the leaves were dead brown spots, 
these spots not exceeding one-sixth of the entire surface of any of the 
leaves; on the peach all of the fruit was dead, but still clinging to the 
tree, and half the leaves had brown spots in them, these leaves being 
much more injured than were those on the prune tree ; on the apricot 
the fruit was not injured in the least and three-fourths of the leaves 
were uninjured, but the remaining leaves had small brown spots in 
them, these spots not exceeding one-fifteenth of the surface on any of 
the leaves; on the apple all of the fruit had dropped off and half the 
leaves had large brown spots in them, these spots sometimes exceeding 
one-half of the entire surface of the leaf; on the orange nearly all of 
the fruit had dropped off (the young oranges being about half an inch 
in diameter), but the leaves were uninjured. 

This indicates that of the different kinds of fruit thus experimented 
upon the apricot was the hardiest and was the least affected by the 
wash ; next to the apricot is the orange, then the prune, after this the 
peach, the apple having suffered most from the effect of the wash. 

The orange tree experimented upon was infested with the Yellow 
scale {Aspidiotus citrhms), and also with the Black scale {Lecanium olew 
Bernard), and all of these, as well as the eggs of the Black scale, were 
destroyed by the wash. 

According to the scale of prices furnished me by the Los Angeles 
Soap Company of this city, the material for making 100 gallons of the 
above wash, when purchased in large quantities, would amount to $1.14, 
being but a trifle over 1 cent a gallon for the diluted wash. 

The materials used in preparing the above wash are the same as 
those I used in spraying orange trees last season for the destruction of 
the Red scale {Aspidiotus aurantii Maskell), an account of which is 
given in my report to Professor Riley for last year, published in Bulle- 
tin No. 22 of the Division of Entomology (pp. 10-14) ; but the spray I 
then used was only three-fifths as strong as the one I used for the de- 
struction of the San Jose scale as above described. On the 19th of 
December I tested the spray of the same strength that I had used 
for the Red scale on orange trees, but it did not prove fatal to all of 
the San Jose scales that it came in contact with. 

The question as to the manner in which the above resin spray proves 
fatal to the scale insects — whether the caustic property imparted by the 
caustic soda is the destructive agent, or whether it is the suffocating 



30 

eltect of tlie resin and fisli oil saponified by the caustic soda that pro- 
duces this result — is a very important one. Quite a number of our 
fruit growers were at first inclined to believe that it is the caustic prop- 
erty of the wash that destroys the scale insect, and they therefore in- 
creased the quantity of this particular ingredient, only to find that the 
wash so constituted is not apparently more fatal to the insects, while 
at the same time it is very liable to injure the fruit. My own studies 
and experiments lead me to believe that the above sprays kill for the 
most part by suffocation. In the course of experimenting I found that 
a wash composed of the following ingredients : 

Caustic soda pounds.. 8 

Kesin - do.... 33 

Water euougli to make gallons . . 100 

did not prove fatal to as largo a percentage of Ked scale as did one con- 
sisting of: 

Caustic soda pounds.. 6 

Eesin do.... 20 

Fish oil pints.. 3 

Water enough to make gallons . . 100 

Now, if it is the caustic property of the wash that proves fatal to the 
scale insects, it is evident that the wash containing the largest amount 
of the caustic agent would prove fatal to the largest number of scale 
insects, but the reverse of this was really the case ; the wash containing 
the smallest amount of the caustic agent, the caustic property of which 
was still further lessened by the addition of the oil, proved fatal to the 
largest number of the insects. On the other hand, the addition of the 
oil, while reducing the caustic proi)erty of the wash, would increase its 
varnishing qualities, since it is a fact well-known to painters that the 
addition of oil to a varnish improves its qualities. For these reasons 
it seems quite certain that it is the suffocating properties of the wash 
and not its caustic nature that cause it to prove fatal to the scale insects 
which have been sprayed with it. 

I have seen orange trees that had bi3en sprayed with a wash so caustic 
that it killed fully nine-tenths of the leaves on the trees, burnt the bark 
brown, and caused nearly all the oranges to drop off", and yet quite a 
number of the Eed scale insects located on the oranges still remaining 
on the tree were alive. This will show the utter uselessness of attempt- 
ing to destroy the Ked scale on citrus trees by the use of caustic washes. 

THE LIME, SALT, AND SULPHUR WASH FOK THE SAN JOSE SCALE. 

For destroying the San Jose scale [Asyidiotus perniciosus Comstock) 
on dormant deciduous fruit trees many growers in this State use a wash 
composed of the following ingredients in the proportions here given : 

Sulphur pounds.. 33 

Lime do 42 

Salt do 25 

Water enough to make , ...,,...,. gallons.. 100 



31 

All the sulphur and half of the lime are placed in a kettle and 33 
<jallons of water added, after which the contents of the kettle are boiled 
briskly for about 1 hour ; the solution will then be of a very dark brown 
color and having a reddish tint. All of the salt is added to the remain- 
ing 21 pounds of lime and the latter slaked, after which this slaked 
lime and salt are added to the above described sulphur and lime solu- 
tion and the whole then diluted with a sufficient quantity of water to 
make 100 gallons ; this is then strained, after which it is ready to be 
sprayed upon the trees. 

This does not form a perfectly liquid solution but contains a consid- 
erable quantity of undissolved sulphur and lime, which soon settles to 
the bottom unless the solution is stirred almost constantly while being 
sprayed on the trees. It is therefore somewhat of the nature of a thin 
whitewash, and the trees sprayed with it have the appearance of hav- 
ing been whitewashed. On the 26th of November, at 12:45 p. m., sun 
shining, light breeze, I sprayed a pear tree with a wash made according 
to the above directions, the tree being very thickly infested with the 
San Jos6 scale. January 15 I found 14 living San Jose scales on this 
tree, and on the 23d of April I found several more ; on the 11th of 
June I found on this tree a Black scale (Lecanium olecc Bernard) con- 
taining healthy eggs. 

I also tested this wash in the following proportions : 

Sulphur jtouuds.. 50 

Liine do 63 

Salt do 37 

Water enough to make gallons . . 100 

This was applied to a pear tree at 1 p. m., November 26, sun shining, 
light breeze. On January 15 I found 6 living San Jos6 scales on this 
tree, and on the 23d I found several more. 

At the time of making these tests there were several green leaves on 
each of these trees, but all of these were killed by the washes. The 
trees otherwise were not apparently injured, and in the following spring 
started into a vigorous growth which was continued throughout the 
summer. These trees were not over 10 feet tall, and were very thor- 
oughly sprayed, so it seems quite certain that every scale insect located 
upon them must have been covered with the wash. 

The philosophy of this wash is not at present clearly understood, it 
seems very probable however that the product of the lime and sulphur 
(bisulphide of lime, CaSi) furnishes the insecticidal property, and the 
presence of the salt and slaked lime simply imparts j)ermanency to the 
wash. I made quite a series of experiments with the above-named in- 
gredients, with a view of ascertaining which of the ingredients were 
really insecticides, but these experiments have thus far resulted nega- 
tively. The following is a brief account of these experiments : 

Salt. — Experiment 229 : Table salt, 19 pounds; water, 100 gallons. 
I simply dissolved the salt m cold water and then sprayed the solutiou 



32 

on a pear tree at 12:30 p. ni., November 26, sun shining, light breeze. 
This did not kill all of the green leaves that were upon the tree. Jan- 
uary 15 I found a great many living San Jose scales on this tree. 

Experiment 228: Salt, 38 pounds ; water, 100 gallons. Dissolved the 
salt in water as before and sprayed on a pear tree at noon, November 26, 
sun shining, light breeze. This killed all of the green leaves that were 
upon the tree. January 15, 1 found many living San Jos^ scales on this 
tree. 

Experiment 237 : Salt, 00 pounds ; water, 100 gallons. Dissolved the 
salt as before and sprayed on a pear tree at 10 a. m., January 20, sun 
shining, light breeze. April 23, I found a great many living San Jose 
scales on this tree. 

Salt and Lime. — Experiment 238: Salt, 25 pounds; slaked lime, 
8.^ pounds; water, 100 gallons. The salt and lime were added to the 
cold water, stirred occasionally, and strained through a piece of Swiss 
muslin and then sprayed upon a pear tree at 10:30 a. m., January 30, 
sun shining, light breeze. April 23 I found a great many living San 
Jose scales on this tree. 

Salt and Sulphur. — Experiment 232 : Salt, 25 pounds ; sulphur, 
75 pounds ; water, enough to make 100 gallons. The sulphur was boiled 
for an hour in 75 gallons of water, after which the salt was added, and 
the solution diluted with a sufficient quantity of cold water to make 100 
gallons. After standing for a few minutes the greater portion of the 
sulpbur settled to the bottom, making it necessary to stir the solution 
almost constantly while applying it to the tree. Sprayed on a pear tree 
at 2:45 p. m., November 26, sun shining, light breeze ; this killed all of 
the green leaves on the tree. January 15 I found a great many living 
San Jose scales on this tree. 

Sulphur. — Experiment 233 : Sulphur, 100 pounds ; water, enough to 
make 100 gallons. Placed the sulphur in the water and boiled for 1 
hour, then when cold, sprayed the solution on a pear tree at 3 p. m. 
November 26, sun shining, light breeze. This did not injure any of the 
green leaves that were on the tree. January 15 I found a great many 
living San Jos6 scales on this tree, a smaller proportion being killed 
than in either of the preceding experiments. 

Lime. — Experiment 239: Slaked lime, 10 pounds; water, enough 
to make 100 gallons. The lime was placed in the water, stirred occa- 
sionally and in two hours the solution was strain^ed through a piece of 
thin Swiss muslin and sprayed upon a pear tree at 10:45 a. m. January 
20, sun shining, light breeze. April 23, I found a great many living 
San Jose scales on this tree. 

Lime and Sulphur. — Experiment 240: Quicklime (CaO), 100 
pounds; sulphur, 33;^ pounds; water, enough to make 100 gallons. 
Placed the lime and sulphur in a copper vessel, added 30 gallons of 
water, and boiled for two hours, then filtered. The solution was of a deep 
orange red color. After standing for a few minutes needle-like crystals 



33 

tjomewhat resembling ibe down on the seeds of thistles separated out. 
These were composed of bisn][)liide of lime (CaSi) and being freely solu- 
ble in water, were dissolved when the balance of the water was added. 
In this action all of the sulphur had been incorporated with the lime, 
since the residue when dried would not ignite. Added a sufficient 
quantity of water to the above solution and sprayed an apple tree with 
it at 10:30 a. m. March 18, sun shining, light breeze. 

About 14 hours after making the above experiment it began to rain 
very gently and this was continued for 24 hours. April 23, I found a 
great many living San Jose scales on this tree. At the time of making 
the above test I also sprayed some of the solution on a branch of a 
peach tree in full blossom, but this did not appear to produce any in- 
jurious effect upon the blossom, since at the time of ray visit on the 
23d of April this branch bore as many peaches as did any of those 1 
had not sprayed. It seems almost certain that the rain, coming on so 
soon after the wash was applied, rendered neutral the effect of the 
above solution on the scale insects sprayed with it. I have seeu 
orange trees that had been sprayed with the resin wash on a certain 
day and a rain occurred during the night following the application; 
but the wash did not prove fatal to nearly as large a percentage of the 
red scales as would have been the case had no rain occurred. 

On the same da^y that the above test was made (March 18), I also 
tried the above mejitioned lime and sulphur solution at half strength, 
but it did not produce any apparent effect upon the San Jos6 scales 
infesting the tree sprayed with it. It was now too late in the season 
to make additional tests of this solution, but I hope to be able to fol- 
low up this subject during the coming winter. 

From the above experiments it would appear that neither lime, salt, 
nor sulphur when used separately are effectual in destroying the San 
Jose scale; and the same is true in regard to any two of them when 
used in combination, except, perhaps, the lime and sulphur, which have 
not as yet been sufficiently tested. It is very probable, however, that 
these two ingredients give to the wash its insecticidal propertj^, while 
the addition of the slaked lime and salt simply impart stability to the 
wash, rendering it less liable to be washed off" the trees by the winter 
rains. Should this surmise prove correct, then the directions given at 
the head of this article for preparing this wash should be changed, an 
equal number of pounds of lime being required with the 33 pounds of 
sulphiir. instead of only 21 pounds of lime, as at present used. 

I experienced considerable difficulty in i^repariug and applying this 
wash, owing to the fact that some of the materials used are not solu- 
ble in water, necessitating an almost constant stirring of the solution 
while it is being sprayed upon the trees. On this account it is quite im- 
I)Ossible to spray it uniformly upon all of the trees, and this difficulty 
has also been experienced by each of our fruit-growers who have used it 
and with whom I have conversed upon the subject, or who have written 
25910— Bull. 23 3 



34 

to me in regard to it. Some of tbe trees sprayed by tbis solution 
would be very much wliiteued, as if whitewashed, whereas other trees 
sprayed from the same tank as these would be scarcely discolored by 
the wash. It is, of course, the slaked lime added to the solution that 
causes it to give the trees the appearance of having been whitewashed, 
since neither the salt nor the sulphur discolor the tree to any appreci- 
able extent, and the same is true of the bisulphite of lime, which is pro- 
duced by boiling the quicklime and sulphur together. 

The cost of 100 gallons of this wash according to prices furnished me 
by Howell & Craig, wholesale grocers, of this city, for the sulphur and 
sjilt, and by the Southern California Lumber Company, also of this 
city, for the lime, is as follows, the materials being purchased in large 
quantities : 

Snlplinr, 33 pounds, at2i cents per ponml $0.70 

Lime, 42 pounds, at I of a cent per pound .33 

Salt, 25 pounds, at t/'o of a cent per pound 11 

Total $1.14 

The salt quoted aboveisapoor grade, such as is used for salting hides, 
and the price quoted is by the ton; the sulphur is in sacks, and the 
lime in barrels containing about 220 pounds each. 

Of the two washes above described — the resin, caustic soda, and fish 
oil, and the lime, salt, and sulphur washes — the one containing resin is 
greatly to be preferred. Not only is this wash easier to prepare thau 
the other, but it is also much easier to apply it to the trees, since it is 
perfectly soluble in water and therefore does not require to be stirred 
while being sprayed upon the trees. For this reason more uniform re- 
sults will be obtained by its use than would be obtained by using the 
sulphur wash. Moreover, the resin wash, by being properly diluted, 
can also be used in the summer season, and thus only one wash need be 
used at any time of the year. In my own experiments better results 
were obtained by the use of the reoin wash than were produced by the 
sulphur wash. The price per gallon of each of these washes is about 
the same. The sulphur wash should never be used on trees in leaf nor 
on those just starting to leaf out, and this is also true of the resin wash 
when made according to the formula given in the preceding article. 

MISCELLANEOUS EXPERIMENTS. 

CoRHOSiYE SUBLIMATE (also knowu as mcrcuric chloride, HgCU). — 
Some time ago one of the Horticultural Commissioners of San Ber- 
nardino County remarked to me that he had used a simple solution of 
corrosive sublimate for the purpose of destroying various kinds of scale 
insects on nursery trees, and had obtained very good results by the 
use of the same ; and it was also reported in some of the San Diego 
papers that a gentleman living in that county had obtained better re- 
sults by the use of a solution of the above kind than he had by using 
any other kind of insecticide for the destruction of the black scale. 



35 

Thinking the subject worthy of investigation, I made a few experi- 
ments with this substance, but the results were far from being satis- 
factory. I dissolved the sublimate in cold water by frequent stirring ; 
this required about 15 minutes, and the solution was of a dark bluish- 
gray color. Following is a brief account of these experiments : 

(224) Corrosive sublimate, 2^ ounces ; water 100 gallons. Sprayed 
on an orange tree infested with the red scale at 3 p. m., October 10, sun 
shining, light breeze. November 13, leaves and fruit uninjured; found 
great many living red scales on this tree. 

(223) Corrosive sublimate, 4^ ounces ; water, 100 gallons. Sprayed 
on an orange tree at 2:30 p. m., October 10, sun shiuing, light breeze. 
November 13, leaves and fruit uninjured; found great many living red 
scales on this tree. 

(236) Corrosive sublimate, 1^ pounds; water, 100 gallons. Sprayed 
on a dormant pear tree infested with the San Jos6 scale at 10 a. m., 
December 31, sun shining, light breeze. February 3, found a great 
many living San Jose scales on this tree. 

The price in this city of the corrosive sublimate in 10-pound lots is 
at the rate of $1.40 per pound; at this rate the strongest solution I 
used (experiment 236) would cost about $1.63 per 100 gallons. I did 
not test a stronger solution than this, since its cost alone would prevent 
its being extensively used. 

Glue. — For the purpose of testing this substance as an insecticide 
for the destruction of the red scale on citrus trees I made a few experi- 
ments with it, but with very unsatisfactory results. The grade I used 
is of a light brown color, not the white, nor yet the poorest grade, but 
such as is used by cabinet-makers. To dissolve the glue I simply boiled, 
it in water, and it dissolved in about 10 minutes. Following is a brief 
account of these experiments : 

(227) Glue, 4J pounds ; water 100 gallons. Sprayed on an orange 
tree infested with the red scale at 4:30 p. m., October 11, sun shining, 
light breeze. November 13, leaves and fruit uninjured; found great 
many living red scales on this tree. 

(226) Glue, 8.1 pounds ; water 100 gallons. Sprayed on an orange 
tree at 4 p. m., October 11, sun shining, light breeze. November 13, 
leaves and fruit uninjured; found great many living red scales on this 
tree. 

(225) Glue 12;^ pounds; water 100 gallons. Sprayed on an orange 
tree at 3:30 p. m., October 11, sun shining, light breeze. November 13, 
leaves and fruit uninjured ; found great many living red scales on this 
tree. 

In this city (Los Angeles) the price of glue of the above grade in 10- 
pound lots is at the rate of 50 cents perpound; at this rate the strongest 
solution I used (experiment 225) will cost $6.25 per 100 gallons. This, 
of course, is much too expensive for ordinary use as an insecticide, and 
for this reason I did not test a stronger solution. 



36 

Aloes. — Dr. M. F. Bishop, of Alameda, tbe owner of a large orcliard 
of deciduous fruit trees in tbe vicinity of San Jose, in the northern 
part of the State, gave me a package of aloes, with the request to test 
it on the scale insects infesting citrus trees. Accordingly I made a 
few tests with it, simply dissolving the aloes in cold water, straining 
the solution through a piece of Swiss muslin, and then spraying it 
upon the tree. The aloes is not readily soluble in cold water, and 4 
days were required for it to dissolve, being occasionally stirred during 
this time. The experiments are as follows : 

(243) Aloes, 12i pounds ; water, 100 gallons. Sprayed on an orange 
tree infested with the yellow scale {Aspidiotus citrinus) at 10:30 a. m., 
March 22, sun shining, light breeze. April 23, leaves and fruit unin- 
jured ; found many living yellow scales on this tree. 

(242) Aloes, 25 pounds ; water, 100 gallons. Sprayed on an orange 
tree at 10 a. m., March 22, sun shining, light breeze. April 23, leaves 
and fruit uninjured; found several living yellow scales both on the 
leaves and fruit of this tree. 

The price of the aloes in large quantities is at the rate of IG cents 
per pound; at this rate the strongest solution I used (experiment 242) 
would cost $4 per 100 gallons. At this strength (25 pouuds of aloes to 
100 gallons water) it proved fatal to a large percentage of the scale 
insects, and doubtless if it had been used one-half stronger it would 
have been entirely effectual; but the high price of a solution of the 
latter strength would prevent its being used on a large scale. 



REPORT OF EXPERIMENTS WITH RESIN^ COMPOUNDS ON 
PHYLLOXERA, AND GENERAL NOTES ON CALIFORNIA 
INSECTS. 



By Albert Koebele. 



LETTEn OF SUBMITTAL. 

Alameda, Cal., Octoler 2(\ 1890. 
Sir: T herewith submit report upou experiments, chieHy with resin compouads, on 
Phjj'loxera vastatric, and observations made during the year. 
Very respectfully, 

Albert Koebele, 

Field Agent. 
Prof. C. V. Riley. 

U. S. Entomologist. 



By your direction a series of experiments was carried on,cbiefly with 
resin compounds, upou the Phylloxera in Sonoma Valley during Septem- 
ber and the beginning of October. 

In preparing the compounds the following were used: Bicarbonate 
of soda, sal soda, and Greeubank's caustic soda, 98 per cent. Three 
pounds are required of the former to dissolve 4 pounds of resin prop- 
erly, or, in other words, to make a resin soap ; 1 pound of the latter is 
sufficient to dissolve 10 pounds of resin or even 11, but I did not suc- 
ceed in dissolving 12 pounds, as parts of the resin would always re- 
main. In repeated and careful trials this could not be overcome. 

The results showed somewhat in favor of the bicarbonate of soda as 
far as to destruction of the insects, but the price has to be considered. 
Next to this seems to be the emulsion prepared with caustic soda, but 
it is a difficult matter to decide which will work best without carrying 
on an extensive series of trials. It is safe to say, however, that the 
results will not vary greatly. 

One pound of resin was used to each 10 pints of con)pound, and 
this again was diluted with water at a strength of 1 pound of resin in 
2.} gallons of water, up to 1 pound in 37^ gallons of water — one part of 
compound in thirty parts of water. This compound will, as has been 
previously stated, do effective work on unprotected Aphids, i. e., such 
as are not covered with cottony or mealy exudations, at one part in 

37 



38 

fiffeen parts of water, or 1 pound of resin in about 10 gallons of water. 
(The former mixtures were somewhat stronger; 1 pound of resin iu 
1) pints of liquid.) The action upon the Phylloxera is much more 
marked and with a mixture of one part of comi)ound in thirty parts of 
water the insects, if immersed for a few seconds only and left exposed, 
will die, notwithstanding this solution will not adhere to parts of the 
roots, not having at this strength the required penetrating power which 
a sufficiently strong solution, say about 1 pound resin in 15 gallons of 
water, has, and more so than any other insecticide I know of. The 
experiments were made on 25-year-old Tokay vines (the only ones re- 
maining that have withstood the ravages of the Phylloxera), in loamy 
soil, which was completely dry and hard at this time of the year, no 
moisture being noticeable until a depth of from 10 to 12 inches below 
the surface was reached. 

In all cases the ground was removed to a depth of about 6 inches, 
forming a hole 4 feet in diameter. Ten gallons of the solution, it was 
observed, penetrated here to 12 inches in depth around the roots where 
the hole was deepest, or about 18 inches from original surface of ground, 
and most of the insects were destroyed to about 16 inches in depth, if 
the 10 gallons contained 4 pints of compound. In the later experiments 
these holes were made only about 2 feet in diameter, and nearly if not 
the same results were obtained with only half the amount or 5 gallons 
of the mixture. This is more practical, as the chief roots only are 
reached and the solution can be used so much stronger. The less 
solution required the better, i)rovidiug it will do the work, for at 10 gal- 
lons to each plant this would mean 7,000 gallons or over per acre. If 
the solution is applied at another time of the year, say early spring, 
when rain is still expected, the results undoubtedly will be still more 
favorable. I have had excellent results with solutions prepared with 
caustic soda by using 4 pints of this to 16 pints of water only and ap- 
plying 5 gallons of water soon after and 5 gallons the following da3\ 
This destroyed the Phylloxera to nearly the depth the fluid reached. 
Thus it will be seen if a small amount of the mixture, sufficiently strong, 
be applied in early spring the following rains will do the rest. As it 
was, with the dry soil, the 4 pints of compound in 10 gallons of diluent 
did better work than the same amount of compound in only 5 gallons, 
for the simple reason that it penetrated farther and thus reached more 
of the insects in sufficient strength to kill. It must also be remembered 
that a completely dry soil will take up a large amount of the 1 quid, 
whereas in a moist soil this is not the case. 

The compounds were prepared as formerly, sal soda 3 pounds, resin 4 
pounds, dissolved together with 1 quart of water, and water added 
slowly while boiling to make 40 pints. The caustic soda, which comes 
in 10-pound tin cans, is dissolved in 4 gallons of water, after which 4 
gallons more should be added. This lye will dissolve 100 pounds of 
resin and make 125 gallons of compound, sufticieut for 250 plants, and 



39 

costing at wholesale in San Francisco (T. W. Jackson & Co., No. 104 
Market street) $2.50. This is sufficiently strong, and to use more is 
unnecessary, as it was found that even 3 pints of the emulsion to the 
plant would do the work. 

1 will give here a receipt for preparing the cheapest compound. This 
is with common caustic soda, such as is sold at wholesale at about 5 
cents per pound : 

Caustic soda, 77 per cent pounds.. 5 

Resin do . . . 40 

Water to make ...gallons.. .'SO 

First the soda should be dissolved over fire with 4 gallons of water, 
then the resin added and dissolved properly, after which the required 
water can be given slowly while boiling to make the 50 gallons of com- 
pound. This will make 500 gallons of the diluent, sufficient for 100 
plants, and costing about 84 cents. 

While a much weaker solution would kill the Phylloxera, this is 
recommended, as it also destroys their eggs effectively. Below are 
given the results of some of the experiments to show the effects of 
various strengths. Most of these have been duplicated or tried upon 
several plants. A small mite {Tyroglyplius sp.), always very abundant 
among the Phylloxera, and, as a rule, feeding upon the sap of the 
roots, yet from numerous empty skins appearing to feed also upon the 
lice, was in no case injured by these resin washes. 

Compound No. 1. — Bicarbonateof soda, 3 pounds ; resin, 4: pounds, and 
water to malce 40 pints, costing 15 cents. 

Compound, 1 gallon ; water, 6 gallons ; in holes 4 feet in diameter. 
Destroyed iusects to about 12 inches in depth from original surface, as 
well as the eggs of the same, which became dark in color. 

Compound, one half gallon ; water, 4 gallons. Destroyed all insects 
where they were reached (occasionally a living one running about). 

Compound, 1 part; water, 10 parts; about 10 gallons of the fluid 
used. This will destroy all lice and their eggs completely to 12 inches 
from original surface, but not deeper. 

Compound, 1 part; water, 12 parts; 9f gallons used. Twenty-four 
hours after application some of the solution remained still on top, and 
on examining days later it was found that it had penetrated the ground 
to 12 inches from original surface. Much of the solution had evap- 
orated and left a brown scum (dry soap) on top. It will also destroy 
most, if not all, of the eggs. 

Compound, 1 part ; water, 14 parts. Three and three-fourths gallons 
of the diluent in holes 2 feet in diameter killed the insects to 8 inches 
in depth, or 14 inches from original surface. 

Compound, Ipart; water, 10 parts ; 8i gallons diluent. Occasion- 
ally a living insect found and large numbers of mites on the nearly 
dead vines. 



40 

Compound, 1 part; water, 18 parts ; 9i gallons diluent; examined 5 
days after. Nearly all the insects dead to 14 incbes in depth, but most of 
the eggs looked bright yellow and no doubt will hatch. Behind the' 
thick bark near the top, where apparently the solution did not penetrate, 
a number of 3"oung lice were found alive. 

Compound, 1 part; water, 20 parts; 10 J gallons diluent; in holes 
4 feet in diameter. An examination 5 days later showed the fluid 
had penetrated the ground on plants 15J or 20 inches from original 
surface. All the insects were destroyed 13 inches in depth and but 
A^ery few living 3 inches deeper. This solution seems to work best of all. 
this series, but it is doubtful if the eggs will be affected by it. 

Compound No. 2. — Caustic soda, 98 per cent, 1 pound ; resin, 10 pou7ids ; 
water to make 12^ gallons ; compound costing 25 cents. 

ComiJound, 4 pints; water, 4 pints; in hole 4 feet in diameter ; 5 
gallons of water added 1 hour later and the same quantity next day. 
Very few dead insects were found upon this plant, and none living. 
Not sufficient to show proper result. 

Compound, 4 pints ; water, 2 gallons; 5 gallons of water added 1 hour 
after and 5 gallons the following day. Examined plants 7 days later, 
result very satisfactory, hardly any living phylloxera as far as the fluid 
reached. After examination 5 gallons more water were added and 
again examined a week later, when no living insects could be found to 
a depth of 18 inches. 

Compound, 4 pints; water, 10 gallons. Destroyed insects to about 8 
inches in depth and but iQw below this. 

Holes only 2 feet in diameter; 5 gallons of water in same first, and 
solution 1 hour later in the four succeeding experiments. 

Compound, 4 pints; water, 4J gallons; examined 13 days later. De- 
stroyed insects and eggs as well, which had become very dark. Occa- 
sionally a live specimen running about. 

Compound, 3 pints ; water, Ah gallons. Examined 13 days later and 
found all insects dead that had been reached. 

Compound, 2i pints ; water, 37^ pints. Examined 13 days later. A 
piece of root about 10 inches deep one-half inch in diameter by 6 inches 
long and completely covered with phylloxera showed but one single 
living young, probably hatched from G,gg after application. 

Compound, 2 pints; water, 4i gallons ; also examined at the end of 
13 days. All insects to 8 inches below ground or 14 inches below orig- 
inal surface were destroyed, as well as a large part of the eggs. Oc- 
casionally a living young was found wandering about. 

Four other experiments were made with this com])ound, using 1, 2, 3, 
and 4 pints in 20 of the solution, the ground having 4 hours previously 
been saturated with 5 gallons of water in each case. Examined 12 days 
after; results were not good with 1 pint but were progressively better 
with the other three. Applied 4 gallons more water on plants where 3 



41 

and 4 pints bad been used, and found 2 days later that this additional 
water still increased the effect. 

In addition to this a number of plants were treated with this compound 
to note the results next spring. The holes were made 2 feet in diameter, 
and after the solution had disappeared the wet ground from the outside 
was placed around the plant and the hole closed again. The experi- 
ments were: Five pints of compound in 5 gallons of the solution, four 
plants ; 4 pints of compound in 5 gallons of the solution, eight plants ; 
3 pints of compound in 5 gallons of the solution, ten plants ; and 2 pints 
of comi)ouud in 5 gallons of the solution, ten plants. 

Compound No. 3. — Caustic soda, 98 per cent, 1 pound ; resin, 8 pounds ; 
and icater to malw 10 gallons of compound, costing 22 cents. 

Compound, 4 pints ; water, 7i gallons. Examined 6 days later ; result 
good. 

Compound, 4 pints ; water, 10 gallons. Examined 6 days later and 
found result favorable. 

Compound, 3 pints ; water, 75 pints. Found only part of insects de- 
stroyed 6 days later. 

Compound, 3 pints ; water, 90 pints. There were not enough insects 
upon this plant to deduce fair results, which would no doubt be very 
poor. 

Compound No. 4. — Sal soda, 3 pounds; resin, 4: pounds ; and umter to 
maTce 5 gallons of compound ; costing 11 ceiits. 

Compound, 4 pints; water, 7^ gallons. Examined 5 days later and 
found all insects killed except a few living on a jilant under thick bark, 
where solution apparently did not penetrate. 

Compound, 4 pints; water, 10 gallons. Examined 5 days later and 
found insects dead to 12 inches in depth from original surface, with only 
occasionally a live one walking about. 

Compound, 3 pints; water, 75 pints. On examining, 5 days later, 
only the insects near surface were found dead. 

Compound, 4 pints ; water, 15 gallons. This destroyed only partly 
the lice near the top. 

The following four experiments were made with this compound, the 
ground having been previously soaked with 4 gallons of water : 

Compound, 3 pints; water, 21 pints. Examined 12 days later. Did 
not show good results, as part of the insects were found alive. Twice 
the amount of water with the same quantity of compound will do much 
better work. 

Compound, 3 pints ; water, 33 pints. Examined 12 days later and 
found results fairly good. Only a few living ones were running about. 

Compound, 2 pints; water, 30 pints. On examination numerous live 
insects were found, but more than half were killed. 



42 

Compound, 2 pints; water 38 pints. Besult about the same as in 
preceding experiment. 

These four experiments were repeated and the water added (3 gal- 
lons) 2 hours after instead of before application of emulsion. The re- 
sults in this case were much more satisfactory, destroying most of the 
eggs in the two first experiments and nearly all of the phylloxera in the 
two hist to a depth of about 10 inches. 

GENERAL NOTES. 

It was i)robably owing to the unusually heavy rainfall during last 
winter that insects were comparatively scitrce in the early part of the 
season. At least bo complaint was noticed or heard during this time. 
While a large number would undoubtedly be destroyed by weeks of 
excessive rains and floods, yet there are such as are not or only slightly 
aflected by this element. I may cite here, for instance, such species the 
eggs of which are found upon trees and shrubs during the winter months 
as well as the eggs of locusts usually deposited on dry hillsides. On a 
visit to Sonoma county during May, the larvae of Clisiocampa were ex- 
tremely abundant. Two species were found, namely, C. constrtcta and 
C. thoracica. The first species predominated in numbers, and while 
usually feeding upou deciduous oaks was also found upon Live Oak and 
Qucrcus agri folia as well as various shrubs. In confinement these larvju 
were furnished with food consisting of leaves of Plum and Cherry, but 
for three days they would not feed upon these and readily attacked the 
leav^es of Live Oak which were given them, and upon these they were 
raised. C. thoracica, which is the species defoliating various fruit trees, 
was found chiefly upon willows, but also upon oaks, and here again 
usually ujion White Oak, upou which its eggs were found in October. 
This species was bred upon leaves of Prune and Cherry. 

At the end of May of the present year, I received from Mr. t?. L. 
Washburn, entomologist of the experiment statiou at Corvallis, Ore- 
gon, a few Clisiocampa larvae new to me. He said they were found 
feeding upon a species of Crataegus and were sent with leaves of apple, 
upon which I reared them. On my visit to Washington these larva) 
were met with at Tacoma, on June 8, within webs upon Alder {AlriKS 
rubra), and again at Easton, during July, upon Willow. Near Tacoma 
I also found what I took to be the larvae of C. thoracica very abundant 
upon Crataegus, Alder, Hazel, and various other shrubs. Two of the 
larvae were taken to Easton, and one pupated and to my surprise pro- 
duced not the expected C. thoracica, but C. erosa Stretch. 

About 10 miles along the railroad in southern Oregon, about the be- 
ginning of June, larvie and webs of one of these moths were seen in 
large quantities on dry hillsides upon Purshia tridentata DC, Geanothus 
sp., and also Wild Cherry. While crossing the Columbia Eiver on 
steamer, June 8, at which time the water was very high, large numbers 
of these larvae were observed floating upon the swift current and as 



43 

many as a dozeu could be seen at one time, but of all the hundreds seen 
very few were dead. They were usually in a half circle and completely 
dry above and were carried oflf to be distributed safely along the shores. 
In both cases I had no opportunity to obtain specimens for identifica- 
tion. 

As to the parasites, so far two species of a small Ohalcid were bred 
from 37 egg masses of C. constricta found within three hours while col- 
lecting Cynipid galls in Sonoma County during October. This species 
is preyed upon by Tachina flies, which are or have been, the present 
season, the chief agent in destroying them. From about two hundred 
grown larvfe collected but very few moths were obtained, the Tachina 
maggots issuing from the dying and spun-up larvre in large numbers. 
No ground for their reception had been furnished in breeding cases and 
they pupated among the leaves and excrement. At least 80 per cent 
of these larvoB were parasitized and bat one of the flies has issued up 
to date. I also obtained one large cocoon of an Ichneumonid from 
larviB in confinement and others were still found in nature during Sep- 
tember. 

G. thoracica was also infested by Tachina larvoe, but only about 
30 per cent, were destroyed by these maggots. Two species of the flies 
have come out so far. C. californica was noticed full of eggs of these 
flies and some had previously been bred. An Ichneumonid was ob- 
tained from young larvae the present year. Professor Rivers, of 
Berkeley, informed me the end of April that he had previously ob- 
served one of these larvie at Bay View upon Willow, and accordingly 
a trip was made to that locality and this species was found as well as 
its tents, not alone upon Willow, but also on the scrubby Live Oaks 
growing there. Hazel, Wild Currant, Rhammts californica, Blackberry, 
and other plants, showing that this species is not confined to Live Oak 
alone. 

No Tachina has yet been obtained from the species in Santa Cruz 
Mountains, nor have I observed any eggs, b\it larvfe of this species 
placed upon Cherry and Prune at Alameda were badly attacked. The 
same species of Ichneumonid bred from larvse of C. californica has also 
been obtained from this. This species was observed upon Plum, Prune, 
Willow, Ccanothus and Cercocarpus. 

Two species of Ichneumonids were bred from the new species of the 
north, one from larvae found at Tacoma, and the second from those 
found at Easton. 

I may mention one Noctuid larva as very destructive to buds, young 
fruit, and foliage of fruit trees, chiefly Apple, Pear, Plum, and Prune. 
This is Ta'7iiocampa, and I have full proof that the destruction of a 
large share of the buds and young fruit, so universally^, yet incorrectly, 
attributed to birds on this coast, is due to this larvae. In the very 
early spring, often in February, these moths make their appearance 
from hibernated chrysalids and copulate, and the female deposits her 



44 

eggs, from two to tliree hundred or more, in crevices of bark. I found 
them in large numbers together, thrust deep into a place where one of 
the branches had broken off. The young larvse soon made their ap- 
pearance and in want of leaves began to feed upon buds and blossoms, 
and later on, as I have repeatedly observed on apple trees, upon the 
young fruit also. Within about 24 days these larviie become full grown 
and enter the ground for ijupation to remain in this state for nearly 11 
months. If only one or two early broods occur upon ii single or- 
dinary tree, they will, in some cases, destroy most if not all the fruit 
buds before any leaves appear. The light green, white, variegated, and 
striped larvai at rest on the under side of leaves during the daytime 
are not, especially by an untrained eye, very readily discovered, and 
hence are overlooked and the more innocent bird is made responsible 
for the damage done. 

During April, 1888, when I had a brood of these larvaj in confine, 
ment at Alameda, a common titmouse, Lophophanes inornatus (j'^mh.^ 
was noticed flying constantly to an old apple tree and carrying off" 
dozens of these very larvje to a hollow tree not far distant, within 
which it had a nest with six young. These birds are quite plentiful 
at this time of the year and are the only enemy of this larva as yet 
observed. None of the numerous larvae collected the present year 
ai)pear to be parasitized. 

By jarring the trees in the early morning these larvje, especially the 
larger, will fall to the ground, and can readily be collected and destroyed. 
If the tree be only slightly shaken, all the mature larvae will drop. 

Galoptenus devastator^ so well remembered since its outbreak in 1885, 
has again been on the increase the present season and is quite abun- 
dant in Sonoma County as well as around Alameda, where Canmula pel- 
lucida was equally as numerous. Aside from complaints in Sonoma 
County others were heard of in Yolo County. I quote from the Wood- 
land Democrat of September 11, 1890: 

For the past few weeks our farmers have been watching their alfalfa crops very 
closely. The Army Worm and tlie Grasshopper are both here, although not in such 
quantities as in the early days. In some cases the crops in young vineyards have 
been entirely destroyed by them. C. Eakle lost all his grapes by the grasshoppers 
and others have shared a like fate. In other cases the alfalfa crops have fared badly 
from the effects of the worm and the hopper. Mrs. P. Hannum had saved some alfalfa 
for seed, but the worm attacked it, and she was obliged to cut it for hay in order to 
save any of it. Mr. Hopkins, we understand, was caught in the same predicament, 
while the pastures of those who have lately irrigated and where the clover is jnst 
beginning to grow nice and green are full of the hoppers, and the worms have also 
attacked many others. 

As yet no specimens from the above locality can be obtained, but it 
is more than likely that the injury was caused by several species and 
the Devastating Locust among them. One favorable season, however, 
should no parasites appear, would again show a marked increase in 
destructive numbers, and local outbreaks may be exj^ected the coming 
summer. 



ENTOMOLOGICAL NOTES FOE THE SEASON OF 1800. 



By Mary E. Muktfeldt. 



LETTER OF SUBMITTAL. 

KiRKWooD, St. Louls County, Mo., . 

October 31, 1890. 
Sir: Inclo.setl please fiud summary of my notes on injurious insects for the present 
year, as observed throughout the season in St. Louis County, and as compiled from cor- 
respondence with and occasional visits to other sections of the State. As in preced- 
ing years, many thanks are due you for various determinations and helpful sugges- 
tions. 

Respectfully, yours, 

Mary E. Muktfeldt. 
Prof. C. V. Riley, 

U. S. Entomologist. 



GENERAL OBSERVATIONS. 

The season of 1890 throughout the Mississippi Valley has been in 
many respects unusual. The winter months were characterized by a 
temperature much above the normal, by occasional very heavy rains, 
and, after the middle of January, by a prevalence of clouds and exces- 
sive moisture. Many shrubs, for example Forsythia, Cydonia, and 
Lilac bloomed in the open air about the holidays, while the buds of all 
fruit trees were much swollen, and peaches and apricots opened their 
blossoms in sheltered situations in February. During early March the 
mercury for the first time in the year dropped to the neighborhood of 
zero, and on the last day of the month occurred a phenomenal fall of 
snow. April also was cold and damp, and similar weather prevailed 
until the middle of May, the soil, except where drainage was excep- 
tionally good, being in poor condition for planting. With the first of 
June excessive heat set in, and for seven consecutive weeks the mercury 
was seldom below 90° F. at midday, and usually approached or ex- 
ceeded 100°. This extreme heat was accompanied by an equally severe 
drought for tlie same length of time, scarcely mitigated by two or three 
very slight and very local showers. 

45 



46 

That the effects of such a season should be plainly marked on insect 
life is not surprising. The following memoranda show considerable 
deviation from the records of preceding years. 

Chinch Jivfjs were not reported as injurions in any part of the State, 
and scarcely a specimen could be found during midsummer and early 
autumn. 

Ganlicr Wormn. — Very few, and found mostly in orchards or on trees 
standing somewhat above the general level. The male moths were fly- 
ing every month duiing winter, and an occasional female was also seen 
in January and February. Probably the severe cold of March destroyed 
a large proportion of the very young larvai, more perhaps by retarding 
the development of the apple leaves than by the direct effects of the 
cold. 

Of the few worms that were found later in the season taking their 
noonday siesta on the trunks and larger branches of the trees, quite a 
number were seen which had evidently been attacked by some Carabid 
or otiier predaceous species, the skin having been punctured and the 
fluids oozing out with every motion. All injured worms perished, but 
what the assailant was I was not able to discover. 

Cutworms {Agrotis and Hadcna). — Vegetable gardens in the spring 
enjoyed an immunity from these pests that was most welcome to the 
gardener. This was probably due to the fact that some of the most 
destructive species hibernate in the larva state, and the degree of cold 
not being sufficient to reduce them to complete dormancy they perished 
of starvation and dampness or fell victims to the birds, which remained 
with us in greater numbers than is usually the case. My memoranda 
show that very few Noctuid moths of any kind were taken at light 
previous to the middle of August. To this scarcity of Noctuid pests 
there were, however, two notable exceptions — that of Gortyna nitela and 
Heliothis annigera, which have seldom committed so great injuries to 
certain crops as during the present year. About the middle of June 
many samples of young corn and potato stalks were sent me that were 
being bored by the first-named larva, and it was then reported from 
some localities— among others from Kidder, Missouri— as having de- 
stroyed fully one-half the crop of potatoes. Its injuries to young corn 
were also extensive, but I have no data for making an estimate. It was 
also found in considerable numbers, when very small, in small grain. 
In this it could scarcely reach maturity, and j)rpbably migrated to the 
stalks of such more succulent plants as were conveniently near. In the 
case of the attack on potatoes a treatment with Paris green and flour 
was recommended, on the probability that in passing from one stalk to 
another the worm would obtain a sufficient quantity of the poison to 
destroy it. Of the success of this experiment, if tried, 1 have not been 
informed. It did not occur in any noticeable numbers in the vicinity 
of Kirkwood. 

Heliothis annigera was very destructive on both early and late corn, 



47 

especially on the latter. In the southern part of the State it injured 
the tomato crop to a considerable extent. Spraying with Paris green 
and with other arsenical compounds was tried with considerable success 
previous to the ripening of the fruit, l)ut there is considerable danger 
in its use and it is best to thoroughly drench the plants that have been 
treated with clear water a day or two after the use of the insecticide. 
Experiment on a limited scale shows that it can be kept from corn by 
the same remedies, but how far this would be practicable in the field 
has not yet been demonstrated. 

The Striped Flea-beetles {Fhyllotreta vittata and P. sinuata) did not ap- 
pear at all on early Crucifers, nor have they been observed in any con- 
siderable numbers in this vicinity at any time during the growing sea- 
son. Whether this notable riddance was due to atmospheric conditions 
or to the scarcity of the fostering weeds, Lepidium aud Arahis, I am not 
able to decide. 

The Corn Flea-beetle {Cha^tocnema pulicaria) was reported to me from 
various localities as unusually numerous aud injurious. Mr. Falcon, of 
St. Clair County, feared that he should lose his first planting from its 
attacks, but from later accounts the plants recovered more rapidly 
than he had expected. 

The Flnm CurcuUo was much reduced in numbers during winter, and 
as there was in tliis section, and indeed throughout the State, an almost 
entire failure of stone fruit crops, with the exception of the sour cher- 
ries, which the insect rarely attacks, there was very little of the work 
of the latter observed. A small proportion of the few early peaches 
that set were punctured, but that the midsummer drought prevented 
the development of the larvse was indicated by the fact that such late 
l^eaches as there were did not show a single one of the food punctures 
which commonly so disfigure them. On one tree which the previous 
year had suffered so much in this way that the fruit was absolutely 
worthless, was a single i^each that reached perfection without one 
stroke from the beak of a curculio ; and similar observations were 
made on other trees on which a very little fruit ripened. Nor was I 
able to find Conotrachelus breeding in apples, although during June 
aud July I examined nearly six hundred specimens of fruit, a few of 
which showed punctures that might have been made for food. Should 
other conditions be favorable, I think, so far as this insect is concerned, 
we ma3' predict for 1891 fine crops of stone fruits. 

Flant licCj always quite abundant in the spring, amounted this year 
almost to a scourge. Trees, shrubs, and herbs alike suffered, and for 
many plants there was no after-recovery. The species causing the most 
appreciable loss was probably the Grain Aphis {Siphonophora avence). It 
occurred throughout the State on all small grain, even on rye, causing, 
undoubtedlj^, some shrinkage of that crop as well as of wheat, but its 
most disastrous attacks were on oats. About the middle of May farm- 
ers began to be alarmed for the safety of this crop, aud subsequent 



48 

developments proved their fears to be well grounded. Letters of 
inquiry and packages of specimens came to me from all directions, and 
during a trip about the first of June, to Butler County, on the southern 
boundary of the State, I was able to observe for myself the dwarfed 
and sickly appearance of small grain everywhere along the railroad, 
attributable in all cases to the attacks of this insect. Shortly after- 
ward the outfields in St. Louis County and in many other localities 
were plowed up and replanted to corn, which, owing to the drought and 
to its own insect enemies, was, in its turn, a poor crop. The unusual 
prevalence and unparalleled multiplication of Aphididw was undoubtedly 
due to to the scarcity of their natural enemies, both parasitic and pre. 
daceous. It was not until the middle of June that the larvae of Syrjjhi. 
dw, GocclnelUda', and Clirysopa became numerous, and, reenforced by 
parasites of the genera Aphidius and Trioxys, finally brought relief from 
the pests; too late, however, to prevent irreparable injury to many 
herbaceous crops, young fruit tr^jes, and various sorts of shrubbery. 

A somewhat remarkable development of the season was the appear- 
ance in unusual numbers of many insects not often accounted noxious, 
and the reappearance of some species not observed in this locality for 
many years. 

Amongthe former may be mentioned the great abundance and variety 
of " stinging" larvie, principally Limacodes. For the first time in my 
experience the beautiful larvre of Parasa chloris were so abundant on 
some young apricot trees in the orchard of one of our neighbors as to 
do great damage to the foliage. When full grown, three-fourths or 
more of an inch in length, thick, oblong, sub-cylindrical, gaily striped 
longitudinally in carmine red, purple, and bright yellow, the stinging 
spines concealed in the two rows of deflected bright yellow plumes that 
adorn the back, gliding with slow, graceful motion over the leaves, they 
were almost too ornamental to doom to destruction. As they were 
very voracious, however, the latter was a necessity of the case. Those 
that were preserved were fed to maturity on the leaves of Chickasaw 
plum, to which they were transferred without difficulty. 

Euclea querccti H. S., of the same form and size as P. eliloris, but much 
less brilliantly colored, being of a dull, mottled green, with two or four 
dark purple-red spots on each side of the dorsum, and having the plu- 
mose spines pale green, appeared on Plum, Cherry, and Apple in the 
orchard, as well as on Sycamore, Post Oak, and Wild Cherry in the 
forest. It was not, however, in any destructive numbers on any fruit 
tree. 

So far as coloration is concerned this larva varies greatly. The crim- 
son sub-dorsal spots, usually quite large when there are but two, are 
in some examples smaller and less conspicuous and are followed pos- 
teriorly by a second pair. The longitudinal ridges on which these are 
situated, and from which also proceed the larger urticating spines, 
vary in hue from pale pea green to yellow and bright orange. A second 



49 

variety was so distinct as to be described, previous to breeding, as 
another species. This is entirely of a pearly, translucent white color, 
with fine, wavy, purple lines, one on each side of medio-dorsal space 
and two others lower down on each side inclosing the second row of 
spines, which, like the general surface, are translucent white. There is 
a.Iarge purple spot a little back of the middle on each side of the dor- 
sum. I have found this variety only on pear, and it is rather rare. 
The cocoon is spun among the leaves and does not differ in color, form, 
or texture from those of other Limacodes. The moth bred from this 
pale larva does not differ from those of typical querceti, being of a rich 
fustic brown, with bright green and velvety black ornamentation. In 
the size of the green and black spots and in general intensity of color 
a series of moths of this species also exhibit considerable variation. 

The almost equally beautiful and even more strikingly marked Saddle- 
back Caterpillar [Empretia stimulea) occurred in very unusual numbers 
on Plum, Pear, Chestnut, Maple, and Wisteria vine, doing considerable 
damage — especially during the semi- gregarious period, which continues 
to the third molt — to the foliage of the fruit trees attacked. 

Phohetron intlieGium and Limacodes scapha were other species of this 
group observed. 

Lagoa crispata was quite numerous on White Oak and Chestnut, and 
colonies of Saturnia io appeared on Corn and Sassafras and defoliated 
several rose bushes in our garden before we discovered the authors of 
the mischief. Altogether there was quite an array of " urticators," 
and gloves were very necessary to preserve the hands of the collector 
in taking them and also in caring for them in the rearing cage. They 
seem to dispense stinging points all over the foliage over which they 
crawl and all about the cage in which they are confined. I have often 
had my hands smart for hours after changing the leaves and cleaning 
the cage in which these larvte had been reared, long after they were 
inclosed in tlieir cocoons. 

There was throughout this and contiguous States a notable outbreak 
of Datana both D. angusil and D. ministra, but especially the former. 
This species appeared on the Walnut in June, and the second brood 
again in August, and from the excessive and repeated defoliations it is 
probable that many fine trees have been destroyed. 

During a journey taken about the 1st of September, numbers of 
trees were noticed bearing what would have been a heavy crop of nuts, 
but absolutely leafless, while the trunks were almost covered with larval 
exuviae. The nuts were, of course, small and imperfect, the shrunken 
husks clinging to the seed. Several collections of the walnut-feeding 
larvie were sent me, but not having a supply of walnut leaves conven- 
ient, I was not able to rear any of them, as they refused to accept as a 
substitute the leaves of hickory or of EJiiis glabra or copalina^ although 
some years ago I bred them from the latter. 

During September the black-necked larvae of what I suppose will 
25910— Bull. 23 4 



60 

prove to be D. miiiistra, Drury, appeared on post oaks in Kirkwood 
and vicinity, defoliating portions of the trees infested. From their gre- 
garious habit and their susceptibility to poison they were easily routed. 
Even a stream of water turned upon them from the spraying i)ump 
would dislodge and bring them to the ground, where they were easily 
killed. 

Orgyia leucostigma, a species formerly abundant in this locality, but 
which I had not observed for ten or twelve years, was found on Sycamore 
{Flatanus), on which, strange to say, it would not feed after the second 
molt, and consequently all caterpillars left on the tree perished before 
attaining half their growth. The question suggested by this observa- 
tion was how the young larvte came to be upon this tree which so evi- 
dently did not suit them for food. I could not find either cocoon or egg 
mass of the mother insect, nor were any of the larvtie discovered in 
the adjacent orchard. 

IcMhyura inchtsa, another species not observed here for many years, 
appeared on willows in great numbers in September, but coming so late 
in the season the defoliations did no serious damage. 

In concluding these notes I wish to mention an insect that will prob- 
ably prove most efficient in ridding the country of the pest of the Web 
Worm {Hyphaittria cunea). This is the larva of a small and inconspicu- 
ous Carabid of the genus Flochionus, bearing the appropriate specific 
name timidus. I had observed during the month of June that the 
greater number of the webs of the caterpillar were unusually small and 
incomplete and seemed to have been deserted much sooner than usual. 

Before I had time to investigate the matter, I received from Mr. J. 0. 
Dutt'ey, horticulturist at the Shaw Botanical Garden, a colony of the 
worms, interspersed among which were numerous small active Carabid 
larviTB, which Mr. Buffey informed me were preying upon the former. 
The collection was placed in a cage and arranged for convenient obser- 
vation, and I very shortly had ocular demonstration of the correctness 
of Mr. Duff'ey's assertion. Many interesting observations were made 
upon these small but ferocious larvae before they changed to pupse, and 
the appearance of the perfect insect was awaited with much interest. 
The first beetle developed about the middle of July and proved to be 
the species named. 

Comparatively few webs of the second brood of Hypliantria were seen 
in and around Kirkwood in August, and extensive examination revealed 
the fact that fully three-fourths of these also contained larvaj of Plo- 
chionus, which were busily engaged in reducing the numbers of the 
rightful inhabitants. Nor is the beetle confined in its diet to the web 
worm. I found the larvte repeatedly during the present autumn in the 
masses of leaves webbed together by the somewhat gregarious larvre 
of a Tortrix {Cacocoia fervidana) and between the two leaves webbed by 
various Tineids, especially Cryplolcchia miheculosa and C. schlegerella. 
(I doubt not I may have occasion to deprecate its work in the future 



51 

in these groups.) That this Plochionus had not appeared this season 
much to the east of St. Louis was evinced by the much webbed and de- 
foliated orchard and forest trees noticed in Illinois and Indiana in Au- 
gust and September. 

As Mr. Duffey proposes soon to publish a history of the insect, with 
detailed descriptions of its various stages, I defer offering my own notes 
upon its habits and forms until after the appearance of his paper. 

A FEW MORE INJURIOUS MICROS ON APPLE. 

A very considerable number of Microlepidoptera, including Pyralidce^ 
r}njcitid(v, Tortricid(e, and Tineidw, have already been characterized 
and catalogued among the more or less injurious insects of the orchard 
and garden ; but the observations of almost every year add to this list, 
and I propose here to briefly describe a few which have not as yet been 
placed on the roll, but which in this locality are annually so numerous 
as to commit appreciable injury. 

Penthina chionosema, Zell. — The larvse of this beautiful species 
were, last year, uncommonly abundant during the month of May on the 
leaves of apple, particularly in young orchards. They fold the leaves 
at the midrib, or sometimes one edge over to the midrib, fastening the 
edges all around firmly and feeding upon the inclosed upper surface. 

Larva. — The larva is not especially cliaracterist-ic, being of a pale opaque green 
color, without niaculatiou, except the rather inconspicuous glassy piliferous plates. 
Head pale yellow, tinged with green, legs similarly colored; length from 16 to 17'"™; 
diameter, 3™™. Form subcyliudrical, tapering but slightly either way from middle. 

When full grown it incloses itself under a rolled edge of the leaf, 
lining and strengthening the tube thus formed with a white silken web. 
The moth appears earlj" in June, and I have no record of a later brood, 
although there may be one. 

The original description, by Professor Zeller, is not accessible to me 
at i)resent, but it will suffice to note the following characters : 

Palpi and tuft of the head rich ferruginous, anteuuse scarcely half the length of 
the wing, fine, gray brown. Thoracic tuft dark brown. Wing expanse from 15 to 
16 """ — rather more than a half-inch. Ground color of primaries somewhat mottled 
dark brown, with a slight sufl'usion of olive, diversified by three broad, indistinct, 
irregular, obliquely transverse bauds of purplish gray, having a somewhat metallic 
reflection; these transverse bands broaden toward the inner margin, where they 
almost coalesce. On the costal edge is a large, milk-white, rounded triangular or 
nearly semicircular patch, extending along the costa from the middle third, in- 
clusive, almost to the apex, constituting a most distinguishing and ornamental 
character. Cilia purplish gray. Secondaries, silky, pale brown with lighter fringes. 
Abdomen and legs pale brown. Under side of wings pale, rosy brown, the large 
costal s^iots on this side inclining to orange. 

Proteopteryx spoliana Clem. — The larva folds and webs into 
clusters the young leaves of apple during the month of May, appear- 
ing, preferably, on the shoots of small trees. 



52 

Larva.— When full grown it measures 10'"™ in lengtli by 2J""" in diameter, the 
foiin being rather thick cylindrical ; color traualuceut white, tinged with yellowish 
green; surface velvety; piliferous plates small, glassy, giving rise to short, line, 
light hairs. Head and cervical collar same color as general surface or a little deeper 
in shade, inclining to amber. The head is broa<l and flat, with red-brown trophi, 
and a very large dark brown spot on each side. Legs and prolegs same color as gen- 
eral surface. 

When full grown it forms a tough, oval cocoon, thickly covered with 
particles of soil, on the surface of the ground, occasionally just beneath 
it. It is but single-brooded, and is very difficult to rear in confinement, 
as it must be kept through the heat of summer and the cold of winter, 
and if a little too damp it molds, while if moisture is withheld it dries 
up. From almost innumerable larvse collected during several years I 
have only been successful in rearing two or three specimens, enough, 
however, to determine the species, and, as the moths are always abun- 
dant early in the spring on the trunks of orchard and forest trees, there 
need be no scarcity of specimens for the cabinet. 

Adult.— The moth expands 15™™, wings rather narrow. In color it closely simulates 
the bark of the trees on which it naturally rests. The vestiture of the head is brown 
intersiiersed with gray ; palpi and antennse cinereous ; thorax and abdomen pale 
brown. Primaries brown, with a series of oblique double silvery streaks all along 
the costal edge, extending about one-fourth across the wiug; a large silvery spot of 
irregular outline, inclosing a patch of dark brown, is situated near the outer edge of 
the ^viug, and a less distinct patch of silvery scales occurs on the inner edge near the 
middle, while a shading of the same color modifies the brown tint on other portions 
of the wing. Cilia pale brown and cinereous intermixed. Secondaries cinereous, 
shading on costal edge to pale brown; cilia dingy white. There is some variation 
in distinctness of the markings and depth of coloring. 

Steganoptycha pyricolana Riley MS. — This is somewhat similar 
to the above in coloring, but smaller and proportionally broader winged. 
This bores the shoots of the second growth of apple in August and Sep- 
tember, occasionally on recently planted trees, inflicting serious damage. 
The larva spins scarcely any web, but bores downward through the ter- 
minal bud, entering the stem for from half an inch to an inch, sometimes 
blackening all the growing points of a young tree. 

Larva. — When full grown it is 8'»™ long by 1^™™ in diameter, slender, subcylindri- 
cal, tapering slightly in both directions from middle segments; surface smooth; 
incisions deep ; color, pale cream yellow, somewhat translucent ; the dorsal surface 
beautifully mottled with rose red. Piliferous warts and hairs only discernible with 
a lens. Ventral surface pale, slightly concave, and much wrinkled. Head elongate, 
cordate, pale brown, shading to dark brown on the middle of each lobe; trophi prom- 
iucnt, dark brown, with two or three long light hairs on each side. Supra-aual 
plate oblong, large, dark, smoky brown. Legs and prolegs rather unusually de- 
veloped. 

I failed to rear the first specimens collected, most of them wandering 
around in the jar until they died. Subsequently, by supplying them 
with bits of pith or bark in which to bore, I succeeded in getting three 
or four images between the last of September and the first of October. 



53 

Tlio moth expands 10'"'". The head, thorax, and abdomen are densely covered 
with long hair-like scales, of a dull gray-brown color w^ith bluish reilectious. Basal 
half of primaries of similar color, but with more intermingling of blue and brown 
scales. About the middle the wiug is crossed by a broad, irregularly outlined band 
of rich brown, sparsely intermingled with silvery scales, and the terminal third is 
quite evenly mottled in brown and leaden gray, the costal edge of this portion being 
ornamented with alternate oblique light and dark streaks extending about one- 
fourth across the wing ; cilia bluish gray ; secondaries lustrous pale brown, shading 
to cinereous on costal edge ; cilia dingy white. 

Professor Fernald, to whom a specimen was shown, considers it iden- 
tical with Clemens' s 8. saUcicolatia, which I believe breeds in willow galls, 
but Dr. Biley pronounces it distinct, and he has types of Clemens's 
species. 

Gelechia intermediella ? Chambers. — This pretty Tineid appears 
in its larval form on the tender leaves of apple early in May and again 
in September. It gnaws the parenchyma from the upper surface, giv- 
ing the leaves a burned and eroded appearance. 

Larva. — 8'"'" in length when mature, slender-, cylindrical, tapering slightly in both 
directions from middle ; incisions deep, giving it a submouiliform appearance. Gen- 
eral color bluish green, acquiring a purple hue at maturity, with faint longitudinal 
stripes of cream white. Head pale brown with a tinge of green, ornamented with 
cream-colored markings on each side and a row of graduated cream-colored dots down 
the middle of the face. First segment narrow, without perceptible shield. Thoracic 
legs long, whitish, proceeding from papillated projections on the ventral surface. 

This larva covers the leaves with fine web, in which it moves with 
great agility, and in which it rests suspended, without touching the 
surface of the leaf, except when feeding. It is semigregarious and ver3^ 
irregular in its development, some clusters of the leaves showing very 
recently hatched young, while on other clusters they will be full grown. 
It pupates on surface of the leaf under a little round cover of dense web, 
similar to those under which some spiders protect their eggs. The 
moths emerge in about 3 weeks after pupation and hibernate in the per- 
fect state. 

Adult. — A beautiful species, expanding 12 or 13""™. Head and thorax dark gray, 
more or less suffused with crimson ; palpi dark gray, annnlated with rosy white or 
pale pink. Ground color of primaries leaden gray and rosy white ; scales about 
evenly intermixed. Three very irregular and variable, often interrupted, bands of 
rich olive brown cross the Aving, intermingled witli some light golden brown or 
ochreous scales ; near the base and center of the wing these form quite distinct 
patches. The apical third of the wing is margined with alternate dark brown and 
rosy patches ; cilia gray. Secondaries cinereous, with paler cilia. This species is 
closely allied to both roseosuffusella Clem., and ?v(/;e/(seWa Cham., resembling in colora- 
tion the latter and in size the former. Mr. Chambers says of it : " Intermediate be- 
tween roseosuffusella Clem., and ruhensella Cham., with one or the other of which it 
has hitherto been confounded. The third joint of the palpi is longer and more 
acute than in ruhensella, more like that of roseosuffusella, but the fore wings are much 
less roseate than in either of the two other species, frequently showing no tinge of 
the roseate hue. * » » As in ruienseiZa (and sometimes in roseosw^Msei/'a), the first 
dark band does not cover the base of the wing. The second band is like that of 
roseosuffusella, but the third extends across the wing, the dorsal portion being, how- 
ever, paler than the costal, and the costo-apical part of the wiug is ochreo-fuscous. 



54 

This description, or rather these distinctions, of Mr. Chambers apply 
to some examples, wliile to others the.y do not. INFany specimens are 
very roseate and ricliiy colored, while a few appear almost plain black 
and dnll white. The three species are best distinguished in the larva 
state, in which there are very decided differences. O. roseosuJJmeUa 
feeds on Clover, G. rnhensella on Oak, while the species under con- 
sideration, so far as my observations show, is confined to Apple. The 
larval characters are also very diverse in the three species. 

EXPERIMENTS WITH INSECTICIDES. 

During the great prevalence of Aphididce in the spring I made much 
use of pyrethrum and of the X. O. dust. Of the value of the former as 
a remedy for these pests, except in the case of one or two species, I 
have no occasion to change the favorable opinions already repeated!}' 
published. The X. O. dust was thoroughly tested on the following 
Aphids: Aphis malinud tSchizoneura lanigera on Apple; Aphis prim if olii 
on Plum ; Siphonophora rosce on Eose ; Myzus persicw on Peach ; Aphis 
brassicw on Cabbage; Aphis sp. ? on Cucumbers and Squash; Siphono- 
phora sp.^ on Lettuce; S. cratwgi on Thorns; S. rudhecMw on Solidago; 
Aphis amhrosicv on Ambrosia trifida, and Aphis chrysanthemif on Chrys- 
anthemum. With its effects on all of these I was well satisfied, although 
in some cases it took several dustings to thoroughly clear a plant. 
When applied with a powder bellows it causes the insects to drop to the 
ground at once, where they may be i)ressed into the soil with the foot or 
patted down with a trowel. The more delicate species succumb to a 
single thorough dusting and never recover from the effects of contact 
with the powder. This preparation will also destroy Siphoyiophora 
avenw, but whether it could in any way be applied to a field of infested 
grain has not been demonstrated. 

The Black Chrysanthemum Aphis is one of the greatest pests of the 
flower garden and gives much trouble to both- amateurs and profes- 
sional florists. It hibernates on the i^lant and attacks the stolons as 
soon as they appear in the spring, and unless great care is taken to 
eradicate it, it is more or less numerous on the plants throughout the 
summer, dwarfing and deforming them by its punctures and by the loss 
of sap which it appropriates. As soon as the buds are formed it seems 
to develop with four-fold fecundity and requires assiduous attention to 
keep in check. The Buhach or pyrethrum powder is utterly useless 
against this species, probably because the plant from which it is made 
is so close an ally of the Chrysanthemum. The X. O. dust, composed 
of creosote and tobacco, is the best remedy within my knowledge, killing 
the Aphis without the slightest injury to the plant. I have found it 
best to apply during the middle of the day when the dew is off". A few 
minutes after dusting the plants, I pass along the rows or among the 
pots, and give each branch a smart shake or a blast of air from the 
empty puff, and every Aphis that has not previously dropped is dis- 



55 

lodged, and " to make assiiiiince doubly sure," it is stamped into the 
eartb. On most of the insect foes of the phmt lice the dust produced 
no disastrous eftect, but the larvae of Syrphidie would, in some cases, not 
recover from the pungent coating. 

Arsenites of ammonia, — This new preparation, for which F. J. Andres, 
25 Pearl street, ISTew York, is the agent, was sent to me for experiment, 
in accordance with directions from the entomologist of the Department 
of Agriculture. It did not reach me until about the 1st of June, too 
late for use on a number of insects. It is a clear solution of arsenic in 
aqua ammonia, and api^arently does not differ much from a preparation 
of my own devising, as reported on two years ago, and with the effects 
of which on vegetation I was not entirely satisfied. The directions ac- 
companymg each of the gallon bottles, in which it is put up, are to use 
one tablespoonful of the liquid to a gallon of water. 

Junel. — Weatherclear and hot. Prepared aqnantityof thefluid asdi- 
rected and had it applied to the following plants: To potatoes, on which 
were a few Dorypliora larvre ; to rose bushes, on which still lingered a 
few larva) of Selandria roscv, Characlea angulata, and Am;plii])yra pyrami- 
doides ; to cabbage, covered with full-grown and young larvte of Pieris 
rapce; to cucumbers and squash infested with Diabrotica. It was too 
late in the season to test it thoroughly on apple for the Codling Moth, 
and as there were scarcely any peaches or plums or curculios. its effect 
on the latter insect can not be reported u^ion. Portions of the trees as 
well as of cherry were sprayed to discover its effect upon the foliage. 

June 9.— Made the rounds of all plants sprayed and noted results as 
follows : 

Potato plants slightly scorched, edges of the leaves curled, larva) of 
Dorypliora mostly on the ground dead, beetles sickly. 

Rose bushes uninjured, or very slightly burned where the leaves were 
very tender ; all larva) killed. 

Cabbage uninjured; oXX Pieris and other larvte killed. Cucumbers 
much injured, squash less so; striped beetles killed or vanished. 

Peach and cherry foliage badly scorched, turned yellow. Plum and 
apple only slightly injured. Other experiments later in the season 
made with one tablespoonful of the poison to one and one-half gallons 
of water were not injurious to any except the most delicate foliage, 
while in most cases it sufficed to kill Sphinx quinquemaculata and Helio- 
this armigera on tomato, Darapsa myron, Gidaria diversilineata, Psycho- 
morpha ejrimenis, and Be mia maculalis on grape, with but slight damage 
to the foliage. The fruit being "bagged" was not touched by it. 
Empretia stimulea on plum and pear and Datana ministra on oak also 
speedily died from eating leaves that had been damj^ened with it. 

I do not consider these experiments conclusive, as with the heat and 
drought, vegetation was not by any means in a vigorous condition, and 
therefore more liable to injury from i)oisonous applications. It is a 
most convenient preparation and leaves no sediment to disfigure the 



56 

foliage, and will, I trust, be fouiul, b3' more thorough experiment, 
efficient as an insecticide when used of a strength that will preclude 
injury to foliage. 

Late in the summer a preparation of i)etroleum sludge with soap 
was sent me from the New York Chemical Works for trial, but there 
were very i'esv insects at that time on which to test it, while its almost 
intolerable and persistent odor is really a serious objection to its use, 
especially in small gardens. 

In making my experiments, I have used the Lewis Combination 
Force Pump and Syringe, and consider them well adapted for use in 
small orchards and vineyards, and especially adai)ted for purposes of 
experimentation, where the larger and heavier appliances are not 
necessary. 



REPORT ON WORK OF THE SEASON. 



By Herbert Osborn. 



LETTER OF SUBMITTAL. 

Ames, Iowa, Ociohcr, 1890. 
Sir: I transmit hefewitli a report upon the work of the season, including mention 
of certain insects that have been observed during the season and notes regarding 
certain others, observations on which are in progress, with tTie expectation of giving 
more detailed accounts of their life histories and habits. 

There ia ranch yet to be done on the insects afltecting grass before anything like a 
fall report can be made upon them, but I shall hope co bring the work of the present 
season into shape for submission at the end of the year. 

The work on the parasites of domestic animals has been continued and a part is 
already submitted for printing, while a considerable amount of other matter is in 
form to be presented at an early date. 
Very respectfully, 

Herbert Osborn. 
Prof. C. V. EiLET, 

U. S. Entomologist. 

During the past summer there has been no great depredation by any 
single insect pest in the State, but a number of the common species of 
insects have been working with their accustomed energy, and the losses 
from this source in the State have probably been up to the average of 
ordinary seasons. 

The observations on insects affecting grass crops have been continued, 
and I am only the more strongly impressed with the importance of the 
insects affecting these crops in this State, and.believe that the estimates 
given in my last year's report as to the ijrobable loss from this source 
to have been by no means overstated. 

Judging by the reports of the correspondents of the Iowa Weather 
and Crop Service, who represent every section of the State, the insects 
that have caused most extensive injury are those infesting meadows 
and pastures and sod land planted to corn. Not only are there numer- 
ous reports of injury by insects to timothy, to pastures, and to corn 
planted on land previously in grass, but numerous mention of poor 
condition in meadows and pastures, shortage in grass and hay crop, 

57 



58 

etc., wliicb, to any one familiar with the great number of insects now 
infesting grass land in this region, tell a certain story as to at least one 
of tlie great sources of loss. 

Frequent mention is made of the Cutworms, Grubworms, Wire- 
worms, etc., and it is evident that a very great variety of species are 
included in this list; but while I am certain that many species of Cut- 
worms belonging to the common species of Noctuidai are included in 
this list, I believe that much of this injury is due to the species of 
Crambus treated in detail in my report for 1887, the Dried Crambus 
{Crambus exsiccatus), or as called in the larval stage, the Sodworm or 
Turf Webworm. This has been very plentiful here in the adult form 
the present season, though by no means so abundant as in 1887, and I 
have no doubt that it has been as abundant in other parts of the State. 
The work of this species in meadows, however, would not be readily 
distinguished from that of Cutworms by those unfamiliar with the 
habits of insects, and even in corn the effect on the plants is not easily 
to be distinguished from the effects of Cutworms, Wireworms, or other 
forms of insects attacking the stalks at or near the surface of the 
ground. 

LEAF HOPPERS IN GRASS. 

In my report of last season I mentioned a number of species of leaf 
hoppers {Jassid(v) that are destructive in grass land. Further observa- 
tion and collection in this same line has served to strengthen my opin- 
ion as to the great amount of injury to be attributed to these minute 
insects. A number of species particularly of the genus Deltocephalns 
occur in immense numbers in grass land, and among the most common 
of those observed here are the Deltocephalus (Jassus) inimicus Say, 
treated of in last year's report, but associated with these are D. dehilis 
Uhler., D. Sayi Fitch, JD. Melsheimeri Fitch, and a number of species 
apparently as yet undescribed. A fuller report upon these I hope to 
make a little later when material on hand can be more fully examined 
and a more complete statement of results given, but it may be in place 
to mention as one of the results of this study that I have been con- 
vinced that these insects are a very important factor in the production 
of" silver-top " in grass, this being one of the effects produced by their 
suction of the juices of the plant and resulting when they penetrate the 
succulent portion of the stem at the base of the terminal node. That 
other insects may and do cause this same form of withering and injury 
to grass I do not deny, but in a great number of examinations of injured 
stems I have in the great majority of cases found no insect within the 
sheath of the injured part, and feel positive that for these the injury 
could not have been produced by Thrips or Meromyza or any insect 
working within the stem while the presence of immense numbers of the 
leaf hopper on the affected plants and the presence of punctures show 
clearly the possibility of the injury being due to them. 



59 

This question has been more fully discussed in a paper read with 
your consent before the Association for the Promotion of Agricultural 
Science at the Indianapolis meeting-. In that paper 1 have referred to 
different explanations for the silver-topped condition of grass and pre- 
sented the grounds for ray own opinion that for this locality and in 
blue grass the injury must be referred mainly to these Jassidaj. From 
the fact that these Jassidne are exposed to the application of remedies 
that would not affect insects protected in the sheath it is evident that 
the adoption of measures to destroy these, as suggested in my last 
year's report, should result in a decrease of the " silver-top." 

GRASSHOPPERS AND CRICKETS IN GRASS. 

The common species of grasshoppers or locusts have been as usual 
very plentiful, Melanoplus femur -rubrum probably heading the list for 
abundance, but several other species, as M. differ entiaUs, Dissosteira 
Carolina, Tomoiiotus sulphureus, and Arphia sordida form a very con- 
spicuous part of the grass-eating species. For the present season also 
there has been a very great abundance of the little field cricket, Nemo- 
biiis vittatus. This was noticed as especially abundant on sunny hill- 
sides in pastures and in many places aggregated in such numbers 
as to completely cover the surface of the ground. While this s])ecies 
has been rather frequently mentioned among the species common 
throughout the country and its herbivorous habits accepted, so far as 
,1 know by all, there has been apparently little attention to it as a de- 
structive species or one worthy of particular attention on account of 
the injury it may cause in pastures. 

It is quite evident, however, that when occurring in anything like the 
abundance in which it has been observed here this season it must be 
the cause of no little loss, and it may very well be associated with the 
more frequently mentioned locusts in the category of destructive 
meadow insects. 

MISCELLANEOUS NOTES. 

The Apple Leaf Skeletonizer {Pempelia hammondii) has been sent me 
this season from near Des Moines, where it was reported as doing con- 
siderable damage. This insect has been comparatively rare in the State 
for a number of years, but from the account received of its appearance 
this year it must have been in such numbers as to cause no little dam- 
age, and it is to be hoped that promi^t measures will be adopted by the 
fruit-growers of that locality to prevent its spread. 

The Turnus Butterfly {Papilio turnus) has been noticed as more than 
ordinarily abundant, the larvse occurring in considerable numbers on 
various trees, especially on plum trees in this vicinity. While the si)ecies 
has seldom assumed an economic importance, in this State at least, it 
may be that it will require occasional attention, and it will of course 
readily succumb to the treatment by spraying, so efficacious for leaf- 
eating larvae. 



GO 

The Cherry Slug {Sclandria cerasi) has also been quite plentiful and 
damaging cherry and plum trees. It would appear that this insect has 
been rather more than usually common in a considerable territory the 
present season, as I have heard of it from various localities. It is gen- 
erally the case, however, that it does little damage for more than one 
or two seasons in succession, so that it seems hardly necessary to take 
any great amount of trouble in dealing with it unless it is working 
destructively upon particular trees, when the usual poisonous sprays 
suffice to rid the trees of its presence. 

The Handmaid Moth [Datana ministra) has been on the increase 
apparently for a number of years past and for the last two years has suc- 
ceeded in defoliating quite a number of trees in the vicinity, especially 
hickories and black walnuts. As mentioned in another f)lace, the 
arsenite of auimonia was used in treating it this fall and proved very 
efficient in destroying the insects. Previously, we have used London 
purple for this purpose, and there is apparently little choice, unless 
there be sufficient difference in price to render one cheaper than the 
other. It is important in using any of the poisonous solutions for this 
species to spray the whole tree or as much of it as possible, since when 
only the part where the worms may be working at any particular time 
is sprayed, they are very likely in their next move to occupy some part 
where there is no j)oison to affect them, and they may in this way escape 
until they have caused considerable damage to the tree. 

Abbot's White Pine Worm {Lophyrus abhotii) has appeared in the 
State, and so far as I am aware it is the lirst time that this destructive 
insect has been brought to notice in Iowa. It was sent to me from 
Farley and with the report that the evergreen trees were suffering 
severely from its attacks. 

The Corn Root Worm {Diahrotica longicornis) is evidently on the in- 
crease and gradually extending throughout such localities as it has not 
hitherto occupied. Here, it appears very abundantly in the adult stage, 
and in fall, collecting in great numbers on flowers. So far as I know 
there has not as yet been any very great injury to the corn in the vicinity, 
but probably the worms occur in considerable numbers scattered through 
the various fields, and it is probable that in a short time they will mul- 
tiply to such an extent that in fields kept long in corn they will cause 
serious loss. 

The species of Diahrotica infesting squashes, melons, etc., D. vittata 
and 12-punctata, have been very abundant the past season, though per- 
hapsnot more so than is common for them, but the crops they infest have 
required attention in order to prevent serious loss. 

The Potato Stalk Weevil {Trichoharis trinotatus) was observed this 
season for the first time and occurred in such numbers as to cause con- 
siderable damage. It was first noticed by Mr. F. A. Sirrine, a special 
student in entomology, at present assisting in the botanical work in the 
Exi^eriment Station. It is quite likely that the iusect has been present 



61 

in previous seasons in small numbers, but it lias not been taken even in 
the adult form, in this locality till this summer, so tliat it seems more 
likely that it has been introduced in some way quite recently. 

TESTS OF AESENITE OF AMMONIA. 

D.uring the month of May I received instructions from Mr. Howard 
to make tests of an insecticide put on the market by Fr. Jac. Andres, 
of 25 Pearl street, New York, under the name of arsenite of ammonia, 
as agent for the Caspar Schneider Chemical Works. In due time the 
samples came from the New York firm and I proceeded to make such 
tests as were j)ossible to determine both the efiects upon various kinds 
of plants and its effectiveness in killing insects. 

On the morning of May 30, 1890, between 9 and 10 o'clock of a hot, 
sunny day, I sprayed the following plants with a view to giving a 
thorough test of the effect on foliage : 

Squash vines infested with Biabrotica vittata. 

Cucumber vines infested with Biabrotica vittata. 

Potato vines infested with Epitrix cucumeris. 

Plum, Cherry, Box-elder, Willow, Elseagnus, Elm, Mountain Ash, 
Birch, Apple, Raspberry, beans, grass, and clover. 

The results were watched closely for a number of days but the record 
of June 2 gives the results for the entire set. On that day a careful 
examination was made of all tbe plants that had been treated and it 
was found that in no case could there be found any injury to the foliage, 
except possibly a slight injury to the elm and' the beans, but the injury 
was so slight, if any, in these cases that it could hardly be charged with 
certainty a.gainst the arsenite. The solution in this case was as given 
in the directions, a tablespoonful to an ordinary pailful of water, and 
the conclusion was that with this strength it could be applied without 
danger to any of the above-named plants. 

On the squash vines and cucumber vines the beetles seemed much 
less abundant, but I was unable to find any dead insects around the 
vines. The hills treated, however, remained quite free from further 
trouble from these insects, while others in the vicinity were seriously 
affected. The failure to find dead beetles under the treated plants 
might easily result from the insects flying away after eating the poison 
to places of shelter and dying there. The same was true of the flea- 
beetle affecting potatoes. The beetles seemed much less abundant, but 
no dead ones could be found under the treated vines. 

While it was so late in the season that it was not expected that this 
test would give any definite results as to the effect on the codling moth, 
it is worthy of mention that the branches of the apple tree sprayed 
with the arsenite were loaded with apples, while the other portions of 
the tree were much less fully loaded. 

The apples also of this portion were quite free from worms, though 
in the late fall they were of course exposed to the action of the second 



62 

brood and a portion of tlic fruit was found infested. While this is not 
given as a good example of the effect of spraying, it seems strong enough 
certainly to warrant the conclusion that the arsenite of ammonia will 
prove as effectual as any other form of the poison against this pestj 

There were none of the Colorado Potato Beetles to be found in the 
vicinity, so the poison could not be tested with them, a test that would 
have been of course more satisfactory, especially with the larvae, becaug-e 
of the fact that the dead insects can afterward be found readily around 
the treated vines. 

I was able, however, to give a thorough trial of the insecticide prop- 
erties of the substance later in the season on the common Handmaid 
Moth {Datana ministra), which was very plentiful on some of the hickory 
and black walnut trees in the vicinity. A single application of the 
poison was found to kill the caterpillars in large numbers, evidently af- 
fecting all that fed upon the leaves that had been reached by the poison. 
Bead caterpillars began to be found in 24 hours from time of application, 
and for two or three days afterward the caterpillars were dying off rap- 
idly. The application was in this case made a little stronger than in the 
first trials, and in a few days the trees showed some injury from the ef- 
fects of the arsenite, so it seems quite evident that the strength for these 
trees must be kept within the limits indicated by the directions. The 
liquid is very convenient to mix with water, and forms probably a very 
uniform mixture, so that it seems to possess some points of superiority 
ver the arsenitcs in solid form. 



REPOET ON SOME OF THE INSECTS AFFECTING CEREAL 

CROPS. 



By F. M. Webster. 



LETTER OF SUBMITTAL. 

La Fayette, Ind., Ocioher 22, 1890. 
Sir: I lierewith submit my annual report of observations on some of the insects 
affecting cereal grains. For assistance in carrying on the experiments connected 
with the stadiesof the Hessian Fly, lam greatly indebted to the following gentlemen: 
Hon. Samuel Hargrave, Princeton; Mr. W. S. Ratliff, Richmond; Mr. Miles Martin, 
Marshall ; Hon. W. Banks, La Porte, and Hon. J. N. Lakta, Hawpatch ; to Purdue 
University, and later the experiment station. I am also under obligations for use 
of laud, seed, and labor in carrying out my own experiments here at La Fayette. 

To yourself especially, and others of the division, I am under many obligations for 
the determination of specimens aud other numberless favors. 
Respectfully submitted. 

F. M, Webster. 
Dr. C. V. Riley, 

U. /S. Entomologist. 



THE HESSIAN FLY. 

Number and Development of Broods. 

My experiments, notes, and observations upon this insect extend 
over a period of a little over six years, and while it received little more 
attention than was given other wheat-destroying species, a considerable 
number of facts have accumulated which, while not by any means 
clearing up all of the mysteries of the pest, will nevertheless serve to 
throw some light on several obscure points. Unless otherwise stated, 
all of my observations and experiments herein recorded relate to the 
State of Indiana, extending from latitude 37° 50' to about 41° 45' N. 
The exact latitude of many places of observation is given, not so much 
for the American reader or investigator as for those of other countries, 
notably England and Russia. 

My experiments and observations have been carried on almost exclu- 
sively out of doors aud very largely in the fields, as I consider indoor 
and breeding- cage observations on this species, except for the purpose 

C3 



64 

of securing specimens and parasites, of very doubtful value frt)m an 
economic standpoint or as indicating its normal habits. The observa- 
tions have many of them been once and often twice substantiated. 

In ordinary seasons and tbroughout the area above indicated the 
statement made long ago by Dr. Fitch that the Hessian Fly is double 
blooded is true. While in the southern portion of the State the fall 
brood of adults seem to appear some weeks later than in the northern 
part, nevertheless I have found but two destructive broods. Between 
these two broods, however, is a considerable mass of fluctuating indi- 
viduals, the true position of which is rather anomalous.* 

At LaFayette, Ind., latitude 40° 27', wheat plants were transferred 
from the fields to the breeding cages April 5, 1890, and kept out of 
doors. The seed producing these plants had been sown the preceding 
September 3. On April 17 a female emerged, and a male appearing 
soon after, these, on April 23, were both placed together on young 
growing wheat planted in a breeding cage, out of doors. From these 
adults were secured June 8. The attempt was made to follow the ofl- 
spring of these, but failed on account of the wheat being killed by rust. 
On June 7, and also on the 14th, 1888, in the same locality, adults were 
observed ovipositing, the eggs being placed on the youngest and most 
tender shoots, and there was every evidence that these eggs developed 
through the larval to the flaxseed stage by early July. Besides, I have 
observed in the same locality late-growing shoots literally overrun 
with very young larva? on the 2Gth of June, and found larva) as late as 
the 10th of July. 

On October 16, 1887, Mr. W. S. liatlifl", who made a great number of 
experiments for me, near Richmond, Ind. (latitude 30° 51'), secured 
adults from a small plot of wheat plants which appeared above the 
ground September 4. From a plant from this same plat that had been 
transplanted indoors, he secured an adult female 11 days earlier. In 
either of these cases with favorable weather the female could have 
sent her ofl'spring into the winter in the flaxseed state. Mr. Ratlift'also 
observed adults on July 10, 1887. At La Fayette, Ind., the same au- 
tumn, I saw females ovipositing on November 3, in a temperature of G4o 
F., among the plants. From a plat sown August 13, and which came up 
on the 17th, I obtained adults of both sexes on October 1, 44 days after 
the plants appeared and 48 days after sowing. That larvte, even 
though quite immature when winter begins, may survive till spring has 
been demonstrated again and again, and was especially true of the 
exceedingly mild winter of 1889-'90. In fact, by a series of sowings all 

* Dr. Fitch states that the eggs of the fall brood are deposited iu the State of New 
York early in September, and also that "the deposit is doubtless made later to the 
south of us thau it is here iu New York. " (Seventh Beport.) Mr. Edward Tilghman 
observed ovipositiou in Queen Anne's County, Marylaud, about latitude oi)'-' to :W^ 
:30', during the second week in October, and mentions it as of usual occurrence. {The 
Cultivator, May, 1841.) 



65 

stages of the insect can be produced continually from April to October, 
and by keeping a cage indoors I have produced adults in abundance in 
January. 

As Dr. Lindeman has well stated, the puparia are greatly influenced 
by environment, temperature, etc., and this is probably true of the other 
stages, larv?e of diflerent ages being, for all we know, influenced to a 
diflerent degree. To these facts must be added another of considerable 
moment, viz, while nominally two brooded, flaxseeds collected by me in 
the spring of one year have lived over to the spring of the following year. 
This is also true of at least one of the parasites of the species. How far 
the number of these interlopers is augmented by a retarded develop- 
ment of greater or less extent it is impossible to say, but that there is an 
accession through this means there can be no doubt. In fact, it would 
appear as though nature had in this way provided against the extinc- 
tion of the species. 

Now, is it proper for us, from these scattering individuals, to attempt 
to construct distinct broods ? It seems to me not. I have several times 
sown wheat at La Fayette early in July and never had it seriously in- 
fested by Hessian fly until late in August or early in September. Very 
young larv£e were exceedingly abundant early in October of this year 
in a field of early- sown wheat near La Fayette. 

It is true that observations during a single season, in a single locality, 
might produce apparently good evidence of a third brood, but a con- 
tinued close study of the species in such locality will probably show it 
unfounded. That these aberrant individuals may, under favorable con- 
ditions, collect or " bunch" together in certain fields is probably true, 
but my own experience has been that the following year this irregu- 
larity will have disappeared or have been reduced to a minimum by the 
effect of the weather during midsummer and winter. On June 24, 1887, 
near Princeton, Indiana, latitude 38° 23' N., I found a field of wheat, 
sown about the first of the preceding November, literally alive with 
larvae from one-fourth to nearly or quite full grown. There were no 
pupse to speak of in this field at the time, but in other fields in the 
vicinity these were abundant, but here there was no larvfe to be found. 
At this date wheat harvest was at its height. The late-sown field had 
evidently attracted the late-appearing adults of the fall before, and 
their progeny, living over in this field, as delayed larvfe, emerged cor- 
respondingly late in the spring, giving rise to the generation of larva? 
observed by me. My reason for taking this view is that I have several 
times tried to draw off the spring brood of flies by offering them young 
plants on which to oviposit, but have always failed, as they seemed to 
prefer tender shoots of older plants to the young plants themselves. In 
the fall this characteristic seems to be somewhat the reverse, although 
even then, if attacked after tillering, the tillers will be chosen instead 
of -the main stem. The fall brood of adults is probably the migratory 
brood, and their power of detecting wheat plants is almost phenomenal. 
25910— Bull. 23 5 



66 

I liave drawn tliem to a small plat of wheat sown in a secluded corner 
of my garden, in the midst of town, fully half a mile from any wheat 
fields. But, be this as it may, a second brood of larvai in June would 
be rather difficult to sustain, as the puparia of the earlier part of the 
month are known to remain in that stage until September. Neither 
have I been able to secure any better evidence of a brood originating in 
volunteer wheat during July and August. Puparia are to be found 
every year from one end of the State to the other in this volunteer 
wheat, but here in Indiana I have never found these sufficiently numer- 
ous to imply a distinct brood. Professor Forbes and his assistants, 
working in Illinois, appear to have a greater confidence in this extra 
brood than myself, although, as will appear farther on, our experiments 
were carried on the one perfectly independent of the other, though only 
a few miles apart. 

My attention has been called to the condition of this field near Prince- 
ton, by Honorable Samuel Hargrove, member of the board of trustees of 
Purdue University, and also a member of the State Board of Agricul- 
ture, who willingly agreed to further aid in the investigations by sow- 
ing for me plats of wheat at intervals of about 2 weeks, beginning as 
soon as possible after harvest. Being detained in Louisiana myself 
until nearly the 1st of August, and the weather being exceedingly dry, 
no plats were sown until August 4, 1887, followed by another on August 
22, and a third September 5. These were sown on one of Mr. Hargrove's 
farms, about 10 miles northeast of Princeton. 

The first two sowings, owing to the drought, came up sparingly and 
about the same time. The third was also affected by drought, and did 
not come up until about the 1st of October. These plats were sown 
along the lower edge of a high, rolling stubble field, which had been 
too dry to plow, and in which I had found an abundance of flaxseeds 
the preceding June. 

These i)lats were examined by me on October 8. The two earlier- 
sown plats had thrown up a good growth of plants, which had tillered 
finely, being along a low ravine. On these plats I found a number of 
larvse, which were nearly or quite grown, and a less number of flaxseeds, 
one of which was empty. Besides these, the plants were literally alive 
with very young larva?, so young, in fact, that they had not yet lost 
their reddish tint. Tlie third plat had sent up the normal number of 
I)lants, which were now in the second leaf. These plants had not ap- 
peared in time for the earlier deposited eggs, but were even more seriously 
infested by young larvre than the plants of the two earlier plats. One 
of the plants from the last plat is before me, and contains twenty-six 
young larvje, all of which must have hatched from the eggs only a few 
days i)rior to my observations. Now, from whence did the progenitors 
of these young larvre originate ? Most assuredly not from volunteer 
wheat, because there was none. Not from my earlier-sown plats, else 
these would have shown the effect. There are, it seems to me, but two 



67 

otber sources from which they could have come, viz, the stubble, which 
I kuow to have been infested, and grasses, which we have no knowledge 
of the species affecting. 

These plats were plowed up soon after examination, as I was afraid 
to allow them to stand thus, a menace to the adjoining fields the follow- 
ing spring, though the plants would have probably been destroyed 
before even a small portion of the larvoe matured. 

From all the information that I am able to gather, the usual time of 
appearance of the fall brood of adult flies in southern Indiana is the 
last portion of Sej^tember, or some years the first days of October. 
This is, I believe, the opinion of the most observing farmers, including 
Hon. J. Q. A. Seig, of Corydon, Harrison County, who is as familiar 
with the earlier stages of the pest and its efl'ect upon fall wheat as I 
am myself. Mr. J. P. Louden, of Sharp's Mills, same county, stated 
that wheat sown on October 1, 1886, was damaged 50 per cent., while 
that sown on the Cth was injured only 15 per cent. Mr. J. A. Burton, 
writing from Mitchell, Lawrence County, November 24, 1887, gave the 
results of his examination of wheatflelds as follows : Fields sown Sep- 
tember 8, about one plant in 8 infested ; sown September 15, about 
one plant in 12 j sown September 22, about one plant in 50, and 
sown October 1, seemingly free from injury. The observations of these 
gentlemen also coincide with my own, made in I^ovember, 1888, in Har- 
rison and Posey Counties. Therefore, from all the information which 
I have been able to gain, the best season for wheat sowing, to avoid the 
attacks of the Hessian fly in extreme southern Indiana, is soon after 
the 1st of October. Exactly how far northward this advice will apply 
I am unable to say, but am inclined to think it would cover territory 
laying between latitude 38<^ and 39°, and possibly 39° 30', although 
near the northern limit it would probably be safe during ordinary years 
to sow soon after September 25. 

During the years 1887 and 1888 IMr. W. S. Eatliff made a large num- 
ber of very careful observations, and sowed a series of plats of wheat 
on different dates near Richmond, Ind. In 1887 plats were sown August 
5 and 29, September 12 and 20. All of these plats were attacked and 
more or less injured except the last, which as late as December 19 
showed not the least injury by the Hessian fly. Up to May 31, 1888, 
there was very little injury to this plat, and even on the above date 
there were very few larvte as compared with the number on the others. 
From this date on till July 11 the plats were all injured by black and 
red rusts. Chinch bugs, and the Wheat Stem maggot, the greater injury 
appearing to fall upon this, so that at harvest, July 11, the last was 
the poorest of all in yield, that sown August 15 being the best. The 
sowings of 1888 were as follows : September 6, 20 ; October 4, 22; No- 
vember 1. On November 14 the first plat was found to be infested by 
larvie of the Hessian fly. During June, 1889, Chinch bugs again at- 
tacked the plants growing on these plats, and the grain aphis seriously 



68 

iujurcd the later sown i^lats, so that at harvest, July 5, these latter 
were the i)oorest of all, the other three averaging about alike. All of 
these plats during both years had been sown in narrow strips among 
corn along one side, the remainder of the field being corn, and later 
also sown to wheat, thus bringing the latest-sown plats between those 
sown earliest and the entire field itself, as appeared to me, the severest 
test to which I could subject the several plats. The results, while not 
conclusive or even entirely satisfactory, indicate that in that latitude 
about September 25 is, generally speaking, a good time to sow wheat 
to escape fall attacks of the lly and winter killing. A series of i)lats 
sown for me by Mr. Miles Martin, of Marshall, Parke County, Ind., in 
very near the same latitude as Eichmond, but nearer the western border 
of the State, gave rather more conclusive results, the sowings of Sep- 
tember 22 beiug almost entirely exempt from the attack of the Hessian 
lly, while earlier plats were infested. 

In regard to my own experiments here on the Experiment Station 
grounds at Lafayette, 1 may state that I have never been able to pro- 
voke a disastrous attack of the pest, though there has been nothing left 
undone which could possibly induce the adult flies to oviposit at any 
time between March and December ; and there Is probably not a month 
between these dates during which the insect could not have been found 
in all of its stages. The two destructive broods, however, invariably 
appear in May and September ; in the latter case usually before the 
20th. 

My own experimental showings were rather more elaborate and ex- 
tensive than those of any of my correspondents, comprising a number 
of varieties and extending over several months. Without going into 
details, the experiments and results may be summarized as follows : 
1887, plats comprising the varieties Michigan Amber, Clawson and 
Velvet Chaff, each one width of a grain drill twenty rods in length, were 
sown on the following dates: August 13, 27; September 10,24; Octo- 
ber 8, 27 ; November 5, 19. The autumn was very dry, and the plants 
of the first six plats went into winter in poor condition, being very 
small, while the last two sowings did not come up until the following 
spring. The severe winter destroyed the plants so generally, that only 
the first three produced sufficient grain to pay for harvesting. These 
were also the only ones to suffer from the fall attack of the fly, the first 
producing adults October 1. Plat 8 M^as attacked on the following June, 
and on the 2Gth was badly infested with young larvse, full-grown larvte 
and puparia, the latter, the most numerous, were found on the IGth of 
July. The plats harvested produced a poor crop, but the Michigan 
Amber ranked first, Velvet Chatt' second, and Clawson the poorest of all. 



69 

The condition of the Hessian (ly in these three i^lats, at the time of 
harvest, July 10, 1888, may be inferred from the result of examiuatious 
made on this date. 

Empty flaxseeds 15 

Containiug healthy pupa? or parasites 09 

Larvae 16 

Total 100 

August 3, the state of the insect in these same i^hits was as follows : 

Empty flaxseeds 53 

Coutaiuing healthy pnpaj and parasites 47 

Total 100 

The condition of the insect on September 1, as shown by examination 
of the stubble, is indicated below : 

Empty flaxseeds 55 

Healthy flaxseeds 28 

Parasitized flaxseeds 17 

Total 100 

Notwithstanding the percent of healthy puparia i^assing the summer 
was small, there is little probability that many adult flies emerged. 
A plat of the same dimensions was sown July 16, along one side of the 
first three sown the previous fall, the plants of this last sowing coming 
up ten days later. This plat was closely watclied. After July 17 only 
an occasional larva was found. By August 4 plants had been de- 
stroyed by the combined influences of chinch bugs and dry weather, 
but a second plat has been sown adjoining, and the plants of this ap- 
peared above ground on August 6. On September 4, 200 plants were 
examined and but two larvse were found thereon. A second examina- 
tion of the same number of plants from this plat, on September 15, re- 
vealed a small number of young larvie. A third examination of this 
plat on October 6 showed about 1 per cent of the plants to be infested. 
Stubble from the three original plats, kept in breeding cages, out of doors, 
did not give adults until the 17th of September, although it is quite 
probable that some few were abroad before that date. It will be seen, 
however, that no great number could have emerged from the stubble, 
and the increase in the number of empty flaxseeds between July 10 and 
September 1 is doubtless to be attributed to parasites. This appears all 
the more probable, as I have repeatedly observed these parasites 
during July and August emerge in breeding cages, and at once begin 
to oviposit in flaxseed in the stubble from which they had themselves 
emerged. The percentage of healthy puparia reaching September in 
safety, however, was probably unusally small, as experiments on the 
same ground the following year did not suffer near so much from either 
fall or spring attacks. Another feature of these experiments is, that 
it strongly indicates that the larger i)er cent of the parasites emerge 
prior to the 1st of August. Indeed, stubble from the entire length of 



70 

tlie State, collected in June and placed in breeding out of doors Lere 
at La Fayette, lias indicated the truth of this. 

The sowings of 1888 were nuide on August 30, September 18, October 
3, 6. Of these, only the first sowu were attacked in the fall, that sown 
on September 18 being in the best condition the following July. Dur- 
ing May, 1889, the plauts of these plats were found to be much less 
infested than som6 fields a considerable distance away, although such 
fields had been sown on oats stubble, while the ground on which my 
experiments were located was the same that had been used for this 
jjurpose the previous year. 

The sowings of 1889 were continued on the same grounds, the plats 
being sown September 3-20, October 4-18, November 4. The autumn 
attack was the most severe on the first plat, but the extremely mild fall 
and winter was so favorable to the development of the flies that the 
spring attack was unusually severe, and appeared to fall upon the 
three earlier sown plats with about equal force. The later sowu plats, 
though the plants were much the younger, did not suffer so much, but 
these were very seriously afi'ected by the weather during early spring. 

These experiments appeared to indicate that, in this latitude, while 
wheat sown as early as the last of August may under favorable con- 
ditions and during particular seasons produce as good or even a bet- 
ter crop than when sown at a later date, yet such cases are the ex- 
ception and not the rule ; but that wheat sown as soon as possible 
after the 20th of September stands the best chance of evading the at- 
tacks of the fly and withstanding the unfavorable weather, the regular 
operations of the University farm during the last seven years certainly 
substantiate. It is the custom with the experiment farm, each year, 
to sow the regular field crop at this time, and in no case has severe 
injury been sustained from attacks of the Hessian fly. Fields on ad- 
joining farms sowu at earlier dates have frequently been seriously in- 
jured, although this has not invariably followed. 

Another series of experimental sowings was carried on for me by Hon. 
W. A. Banks, near La Porte, Ind., about latitude 41° 35'. The first 
series of these sowings was begun in August of 1887. The sowings of 
1888 were not carried on under Mr. Banks's immediate supervision, and 
were of little value. No experiments were made in 1889, but a well 
planned and carefully executed series were sown in the fall of 1890. 
The series of 1887, each of which comprised two widths of a grain drill, 
extended along one side of the field about 60 rods in length, the first 
of which was sown on August 13, the plants appearing above ground 
within a few days. The second sowing was on August 23, a third on 
September 2, the fourth September 12, the fifth September 22, the 
sixth and last on October 7. These plats were visited by me on Octo- 
ber 14, and their condition found to be as follows: The first was found 
to be infested by great numbers of larvae and puparia, some of the 
shells of the latter being empty, and the plants were seriously dam- 



71 

aged. The second i)lat was even worse injured than the first, and the 
third much worse than either of the others. The fourth appeared to be 
almost as badly infested as the third, but it had only partly tillered, 
and hence there was a better prospect for it to throw up unaffected 
shoots. The fifth had not tillered, and was only very slightly infested, 
with very young larva3, while the sixth was not yet up. 

On April 12, 1888, the plats were visited again. About 25 j)er cent 
of the plants on the first three plats appeared to have survived. The 
fourth was apparently 50 per cent better, the fifth was in almost 
as good shape as the fourth, while the sixth was backward, the plants 
being small and thin on the ground. 

The estimate yield, made by Mr. Banks at time of harvest, on 
the basis of 20 bushels per acre as an average yield, was as follows : 
First plat, 50 per cent; second, 50 per cent; third, 65 percent; fourth, 
90 per cent; fifth, 70 percent. The remainder of the field was sown 
on September 2, and shared in the destruction in common with plat 
3. Another field at some distance from this was sown about Septem- 
ber 20 and sustained no material injury. 

It will be observed that the first three plats were sown almost at the 
same time as the first three at La Fayette, yet stubble from the first 
three plats at La Porte, collected on September 2 and placed in a breed- 
ing cage beside another containing stubble from the first three at La 
Fayette, gave adult flies nearly a week earlier. In other words, the 
majority of the adults from Mr. Banks's plats emerged prior to Septem- 
ber 15, while those from my own did not reach their maximum num- 
bers until after the 15th, and from then on till the 25th. In both 
cases, however, a few stragglers emerged occasionally until early in 
October. As previously stated, the plats of 1888 were not properly 
sown, Mr. Banks not being able to attend to them himself; but a visit 
to the locality on November 8 revealed but very little injury to wheat 
which had been sown after the middle of September. 

The experiment plats of 1890 were sown September 1, 10, 20, 30. 
These were examined late in October and fully substantiated the ex- 
l^eriments of previous years. The sowing of September 1 was consid- 
erably injured, while that of the 10th was very seriously affected, as 
was also a large field adjoining sown but a day or two later. The sow- 
ing of September 20 was comparatively free from attack, while that 
sown September 30 appeared to have almost entirely escaped injury. 

The sixth and last series of experiments were made for me by Hon. 
J. N. Latta, at Haw Patch, Lagrange County, in about the same lati- 
tude as La Porte. The sowings were made in 1887, the first being- 
drilled on July 28, but owing to drought the plants did not appear 
above ground until about the 28th of August. The second plat was 
sown on August 15, but came up the same time as the first ; the third, 
sown September 1, came up September 6; the fourth, sown September 
12, came up September 21 ; the fifth, sown September 24, came up the 



72 

28 J wliilc the sixtl) aiul last was sown October 12, aud did not conic 
up until about the 20th. These plats were examined by me on Octo- 
ber 17 ; the first three and the last sown were very poor, the fourth 
and fifth promising a fair yield. A field adjoining, sown on the same 
day as plat 5, did not sufier from the fly aud jiroduced nearly an aver- 
age yield of 20 bushels per acre. 

The results of these meager experiments have, as a rule, proven 
correct in the fields of the farmers. I have not only observed this 
myself, but it has become well known in the locality that wheat sown 
before September 15 and after the 30th of the same month seldom pro- 
duces a good crop, while that sown between the 15th and the 25th is 
the most likely to escape the attack of the Hessian fly, aud, as a general 
thing winters, as well as that sown earlier. 

In summing up the results of this entire system of experiments, it 
seems that while no exact date can be laid down for the appearing of 
the fall brood of fly in auy precise locality, there is, notwithstanding, 
a gradual delay in its appearance as we go from the north southward. 
In other words, there is here a characteristic element in the life history 
of the species which may be utilized by the farmer to his advantage. 
Fruit-growers, I believe, estimate that in spring the season advances 
northward at the rate of about 12 miles per day. This would be a 
trifle less than 6 days per degree of latitude. If farmers in extreme 
northern Indiana and southern Michigan can sow their wheat with 
safety about the 12th to the 15th of September (and we have demon- 
strated that the fall brood emerges largely prior to the 15th), and 
farmers in extreme southern Indiana must delay sowing until after the 
first days of October, there must be a general system of retardation, 
which, if understood, may be used to advantage throughout the inter- 
vening territory. 

Starting in southern Michigan on the 12th to 15th and passing 4 
degrees south to the vicinity of Evansville, Ind., we should expect 
about the same condition of the Hessian fly during the first week of 
October. That is, if we pass the danger line about the second week 
of September in southern Michigan, we should expect to encounter it 
again in southern Indiana in the first or second week of October. A 
considerable corresi^ondence and my own experiments indicate that 
this is usually true. It is not to be supposed, however, that it is 
possible for me to give precise dates for given localities, as there is 
another element which is likely to figure in these calculations, viz, ele- 
vation. It has been stated upon reliable authority that "an elevation 
of 350 feet is equal to 1 degree of cold in the mean annual tempera- 
ture, or 60 miles on the surface northward." * While we can hardly 
expect this to influence comparatively level countries like the State of 
Indiana at least to any marked degree, extensive areas of high table- 

* Draper's Intellectual Development of Europe, Harper Bros., New York, revised 
editiou, vol. 1, j). 29. 



73 

lands would be apt to show its effect more distiuctly. There may also 
be some obscure inikience peculiar to the natures of the ditierent soils. 
It will be seen, therefore, that the experiments have fallen far short 
of settling- the whole problem, yet it seems to me that they have been 
carried as far as profitable, and the matter is now in proper state to be 
taken up by the intelligent farmer, whose experimental plats are his 
fields. And it may be added that this is done with a feeling on my part 
that whatever of truth there may be in the matter will stand as a nu- 
cleus about wl)ich others may build, while whatever there may be of 
error will as surely disappear. 

THE EFFECT OF THE LA.RV.E ON THE PLANTS. 

The effect of the larvas, especially on the young plants, does not ap- 
pear to be generally understood, and I have myself been able to verify 
either the figures or descriptions of Fitch and J^ackard only in excep- 
tional cases. The swollen bulb just above the roots in Fitch's figures 
gives but a vague idea of the true appearance, while Packard's figure 
represents plants which have very evidently sprung from seeds only 
slightly covered by the soil. Besides, the former figure only represents 
the condition of the plants long after the larvae have done their work, 
and the latter, aside from the shoot being shorter, gives no idea of the 
api^earance of an infested stem, as found in nature, growing in the fields. 
The yellow color of the foliage — there is usually more brown than yellow 
about it — appears later, after the larva? are full-fed, and then it is largely, 
at least, confined to the younger leaves, the older ones, under whose 
sheaths the larva? occur, are killed by the freezing weather of winter. In 
Circular No. 2 of the Agricultural Experiment Station of Purdue Uni- 
versity I have given a representation of an infested plant fresh from the 
field drawn from nature. The plant had been attacked soon after its ap- 
pearance above ground and had not tillered. The leaves under these 
conditions are broader, darker green, more vertical and bunchy. The 
youngest leaf on a healthy plant as it unfolds and iiushes upward is of 
a tubular form and spindle-shaped, somewhat as represented in Pack- 
ard's figure of a healthy plant. In the case of an affected plant, the 
stem having been destroyed below ground, the spindle-shaped central 
leaf is always absent. The difference between a healthy and infested 
plant is shown by a comparison of figures. If a plant has already till- 
ered, each of the identical laterals, as they are attacked, will begin to 
take on the form and color above described. It is, therefore, not only 
possible to detect an infected plant without removing it from the 
ground, but also to determine the individual tiller infested. Now, while 
this feature of infested plants is so very clearly marked, at least after 
the larva? are one-third grown, and from an economic standpoint of so 
much importance that it is surprising that it should have been over- 
looked, yet I can not myself lay claim to the fact by right of discovery, 
as it was pointed out to me by a farmer in the autumn of 1884, and was 



74 

the outcome of circular No. 1, issued iu October, 1884, from Purdue 
Uuiversity. It was only after testing the stability of this feature in 
various ticlds, uiuler widely diifereut conditions, that I placed full 
reliance upon its permanency. An illustrated circular of inquiry, No. 2, 
issued by myself from Purdue University during the fall of 1887, 
brought also a great number of replies, from among which I have 
selected the two following, because of their widely separated localities 
and the well-known ability of the writers : 

Clyde, N. Y., December 9, 1887. 
Dear Sir: In regard to the appearance of wheat plants infested with Hessian fly, 
and as illustrated and explained by Fig. 3 of circular, 1 believe that it is correct iu the 
main, especially the darker color possessed by infected plants over healthy plants, 
and this is, as you say, quite different from the information given by Fitch and Pack- 
ard ; and you have published this quite constant and true form and condition for the 
first time, I believe. I had noticed this somewhat a year ago, and in bringing up the 
destruction done by the Hessian fly in a Grange meeting, I found that a number of 
farmers reported this very condition, viz: when fields or parts of fields looked extra 
dark colored and healthy, damage from the fly was to be apprehended there. Still, 
the yellow color came after a while, especially with early-sown winter wheat in a 
long autumn or the following spring. I think the spring brood are apt to select 
tillers. 

Truly, 

W. L. Deveueaux. 

Prof. F. M. Webster, 

La Fayette, Ind. 



University op California, College op Agriculture, 

Berkeley, Decemler 15, 1887. 

Dear Sir: Your favor of November 28, with circular relating to appearance of 
grain infested with Hessian fly, received. The appearances you describe are quite 
characteristic of fly-infested grain here, but it is uot seen in the fall, for we do not have 
any grain above ground at that time. The districts in which the fly is found in this 
State are of narrow area comparatively near the coast. In these parts it is not usual 
to sow grain until after the winter rains have wet the ground enough for plowing, 
and sowing can some years be made as late as the last of February, and still do well. 
It is better, however, both for the growth of the grain and baffling of the flj^, f o sow 
in January if the soil is in proper condition. For these reasons we do not find the 
flaxseeds until about the first of March, and then it is that the grain assumes the fea- 
ture you describe. It is a very bunchy growth, with very few yellow leaves and ex- 
ceedingly few seed stems thrown out. On some of our plats there will not be a single 
stem, but the grain will remain bunchy and low for weeks, and then will turn yellow 
and die as the dry season comes on. On other plats there will be a seed stem thrown 
out here and there, and a few heads will ripen. 

Such is my recollection of the appearance of past crops. Wo do not intend to sow 
wheat and barley this year on our fly-infested ground, but the pest may follow our 
sowing on another part of the grounds, and if it will be of interest to you, I will 
watch the plants and send you specimens. 
Yours very truly, 

E. J. WiCKSON. 

Prof. F. M. Webster, 



75 

If the soil is rick and the plants are attacked before they have til- 
lered, these last will be thrown out from the roots which are not 
injured. These, if the fall be very favorable, and the winter does not 
conimeuce too early, will often winter through and produce stem-bear- 
ing heads the following harvest. On the other hand, if the autumn be 
dry, or the ground be frozen early in the season, the crop will i^robably 
prove a failure. This is the reason why some fields will present a much 
better appearance the following June, and give a much better yield 
than could have been anticipated from appearances during the fall. The 
practical value of knowing how to detect the infested plants readily 
is in that the destruction may be observed and the damage estimated 
long before the foliage turns brown or yellow, and the fields be plowed 
up and resowu or allowed to remain, as the owner judges best. If re- 
sown, it would seem best to replow also. Mr. W. A. Oliphaut, of Pike 
County, southern Indiana, writing me in the fall of 1884, in reply to 
circular No. 1, stated that of 300 acres he had resown 200 acres after re- 
plowing, and 100 acres without plowing. The first yielded him 27^ and 
the last 11 bushels per acre. 

The popular notion in regard to the effect of larvce on the straw is, 
so far as I know, usually correct. This year, however, has been an ex- 
ception, at least so far as southern and central Indiana is concerned. 
As far north at least as La Fayette the larvse of the spring brood were 
located just above the roots, and the straw did not break at the lower 
joints, as is usually the case, but either fell or was blown over from the 
roots, the culm usually being uninjured elsewhere. I observed this to 
a very limited extent at Oxford, Indiana, in 1881. In fields about La 
Porte, in the northern part of the State, none of this lower attack of 
the plant was noticed, the larvse and later the puparia being invariably 
found just above some of the lower joints. Mr. James Fletcher, Do- 
minion entomologist of Canada, reported at the meeting of the En- 
tomological Club of the American Association for the Advancement 
of Science at Indianapolis that the wheat about Ottawa, Canada, had 
this year suffered from the attacks of larva3 of the spring brood in pre- 
cisely the same manner as I had observed at La Fayette and south- 
ward. Quite a percentage of the pupae in the fields about La Porte 
were located so high up the stem as to render it probable that they 
would be carried away with the straw. As yet I have not found a good 
reason for this difference, but have a vague idea that the killing down 
of the plants during the preceding March might have had something 
to do with it, as this was less severe in the northern part of the State. 

THE EFEECT OF THE WEATHER ON THE DEVELOPiMENT OF THE FALL BROOD. 

It is quite probable that some autumns are more favorable for the development of 
the insect than others, but just what the favorable influences are is not well under- 
stood. Mr. RatlifF, at Richmond, saw an adult emerge from the pupa on October 16; 
the wheat which it infested appeared above ground on September 4. Between these 



76 

two dates, Mr. Uatliir's notes jjivo tlio followiiijf record of ininiimim temperatures 

tbrongh wliicli the insect must Lave necessarily passed. 

September y:{ (frost) 5iG^^ 

October 6 (light frost) 26° 

October 11 (light frost) 34° 

October 12 (light frost) 26° 

October 14 (heavy frost) 24° 

October 15 (frost) 2G° 

October 16 (light frost) 29° 

Rains on September 11, 26, October 19. Total precipitation during September and 
October, 2.50 inches. 

At La Fayette, the same year, I found adults ovipositing on November 3, but of the 

origin of these flies of course nothing was known. The temperature through which 

these must have passed, supposing the eggs from which they evolved were deposited 

after September 1, was as follows : 

Min. temp. 

September 23 39^ 

September 24 (first frost) 29^ 

October 11 39° 

October 12 (frost) 29^ 

October 14 (frost) 33° 

October 15 (frost) SP 

October 16 38° 

October 19 (frost) 31° 

October 20 (light snow) 37° 

October 21 29° 

October 22 21^ 

October 25 (frost) 19'^ 

October 2r> (frost) 2F 

October 27 (frost) 2lo 

October 28 (frost) 28^^ 

October 29 <, 33° , 

October 30 (frost) 19° 

October 31 28° 

November 1( frost) 28° 

November 2 (frost) 36° 

November 3 (frost) 32'^ 

Rains on September 7, 13, 14, 22, 27, 28, 29, 30, October 3, 9, 10, 12, 
23. Total rainfall, 4.G1 inches. 

From this it will be observed that the adult flies may emerge and 
oviposit uuder what we suppose to be very adverse circumstauces. To 
what extent the eggs and young larva? are able to withstand such 
weather I have no facilities at present for demonstrating. The major 
portion of the small brood of flies, however, emerge during a more 
favorable period, and for meteorological aid against these we can only 
look to the dry, hot weather of July and August, though to the south 
a portion of September might be included. But the straggling indi- 
viduals, which, as 1 have i)roved, may originate from stubble, volunteer, 
or even early sown grain, and which I myself can find no satisfactory 
reason for not considering either the retarded or accelerated individuals 
of either one or the other or both broods, have it in their power to repro- 
duce a considerable progeny, which, though of themselves not a serious 



77 

menace to the crop, yet, added to that of the remainder of the brood, 
greatly increase the probabilities of serious damage. For these a long, 
mild autumn, extending into December, would appear to be exceedingly 
favorable, as it would enable their progeny to enter winter in a com- 
paratively hardy state, and i)robably produce late appearing larvae 
the following year simultaneously with or but little in advance of the 
progenj^ of the earlier appearing adults of spring. In other words, the 
one winters as advanced puparia or unemerged adults, the other as ad- 
vanced larvtB or newly formed puparia. It thus appears that while the 
autumn usually has little effect on the major portion of the fall brood, 
a mild October and November may emphasize the destructiveness of 
the pest. So far as observed by me, a damp spring, even though a 
cold one, is also favorable to the development of the insect, while dry, 
hot summers are as unfavorable, and cause serious mortality to the 
earlier stages of the fall brood of adults. 

PREVENTIVE MEASURES. 

These may be noticed as follows : Sowing at the proper time ; burn- 
ing the stubble ; rotation of crops ; sowing long, narrow plats in late 
summer as baits ; applying quick-acting fertilizers to seriously infested 
fields in the fall in order to encourage attacked plants to throw up fresh 
tillers, and to increase the vigor of these that they may make sufficient 
growth to withstand the winter. 

Koue of the measures are original with me, and in fact the most of 
them are as old as the history of the species itself. There is certainly 
much to be gained by the farmer in timing his sowing so as to avoid 
the larger part of the fall injury, and if all farmers of a neighborhood 
would sow about the same time even a serious outbreak would be so 
diffused as to lessen its injury. 

The burning of the stubble after harvest, when it is practical to do 
so, is usually recommended by the majority of writers. The plan is 
criticised by some authors on the plea that the parasites are also de- 
stroyed, which, if allowed to continue, would themselves overcome the 
tly. This idea has always appeared to me to be both theoretically and 
practically wrong. If only the normal number of wheat plants allowed 
by nature to spring up under a perfectl^^ natural environment were pro- 
duced, then the theory would be correct, because nature would then be 
working out her plans from the beginning. As the facts exist hundreds 
of thousands of plants are produced where nature intended but one. 
Her domain is invaded and her law defied at the beginning. The Hes- 
sian Fly is itself a parasite, the wheat plant being its host, and what we 
term its parasites are practically only secondaries. In the Hessian Fly 
nature has an efficient servant in controlling the wheat plant, and the 
parasites of the former seem to be on guard to see that the duty is not 
overdone. Now we outrage nature and expect that she will uphold us 
by destroying these servants and permitting the indignity to go on. 



78 

With this state of affairs the American farmer has found that the Hes- 
sian Fly will be overcome by its parasites only temporarily, and then at 
the expense of a larger per cent of at least one crop. By burning the 
stubble we destroy all of the pest and also numerous other enemies 
which are to be found in the fields at the time. The present season, 
however, many of tlie flaxseeds were so situated that it is doubtful if 
enough heat would have reached them to have destroyed them. 

lu a rotation of crop the adults are obliged to travel about in search 
of the fields, and there is a greater chance of their being destroyed while 
thus engaged. This, however, has its exceptions, as we observed at New 
Castle, about 30 miles northwest of Richmond, Indiana, on November 17, 
1888. The whole field had been sown in standing corn, a portion of it 
about the 5th of September and the remainder considerably later. The 
early sown portion had been seriously attacked and at least 85 per cent 
destroyed; the later sown portion was only slightly injured, as was late 
sown wheat generally in the community. Here at the Indiana Experi- 
ment Station the plan of rotation is as follows : Corn one year, followed 
by oats one year, wheat one year, clover and grass two years. The 
wheat fields are never seriously affected by the ravages of the Hessian 

riy. 

Sowing narrow strips about the fields, early in the fall, as decoys, was 
long ago strongly advocated by Dr. Fitch, but the advice has been, so 
far as I have observed, totally ignored by the farmer. While it is 
hardly possible to thus entrap the major part of the fall brood of larviB, 
it is certainly possible to entice to these plats the stragglers and inter- 
lopers, which we have shown to be capable of considerable injury. In 
this way the farmer can, in a measure, continue the influences of sum- 
mer and winter in sharply separating and defining the two broods. In 
other words, while he can not eradicate the pest in this way, he can 
weaken its power to commit serious injury. It is very doubtful if the 
volunteer wheat, springing up after the wheat has been plowed, can be 
used as decoys, and if allowed to stand until the date of sowing the 
fields, tbese volunteer plants should, by all means, be plowed under 
as deeply as practicable, or grazed off by pasturing. Simply killing 
the plants will not do, as has been illustrated by the experience of Mr. 
Oliphant, previously cited, and by the observations of Professor Forbes 
in Illinois.* If volunteer wheat is allowed to stand at all, it should not 
be for over a fortnight. The proper time for sowing these decoys will 
probably vary with the latitude. For northern Indiana they should be 
sown during the latter part of August, and in the southern part of the 
State not later than the first week in September. To the north and 
south of this I have, as previously stated, no definite information as 
to the date of appearance of the fall brood of flies, and hence can not 
undertake to settle the date of sowing. These decoys should not be 
permitted to stand over four weeks at the farthest, and should heplo7ced 

* Bulletiu 3, State Eut.. 111., p. 48, 1887. 



79 

very soon after the crop is sown, tnrniug tlie infested plants nnder and 
thoroughly covering them. Simple cultivation, whereby the plants 
are only killed, would probably only destroy a portion of the insects, 
the full grown larvse very likely going through the remainder of their 
transformations. 

The application of fertilizers is, I believe, here in this State confined 
to the poorer soils, and there more for its general effect on the crops 
than as against the effects of insects. The idea in late sowing is to 
retard the ]>lants so that they do not appear until after the greater part 
of the fall brood of flies have appeared and died, then to overcome 
the effect of this delay by aiding the plants to make the greatest possi- 
ble growth before winter closes in, which will the better enable them to 
withstand its rigors. In this direction, it would seem that the applica- 
tion of proper commercial fertilizers would pay by the effect upon the 
growing plants, even though the land itself was not in actual want of 
such treatment. The application to a field which has previously been 
seriously damaged, with a view of encouraging the throwing out of 
fresh tillers, is for i^ractically the same purpose 5 and if there is a tend- 
ency to throw out the later shoots freely, if not too late in the season, 
many may be enabled to secure sufficient vigor to sustain them until 
spring. Whether it would be more profitable to plow and resow than 
to try to secure a crop from the infested field by the aid of fertilizers 
is, of course, a question which each farmer must decide for himself in 
accordance with the time of year and extent of injury already done. 

These measures are all of them practical and entail little if any 
unusual expense. In fact, good farming presupposes that the most of 
them will be carried out as among the essential elements of the business. 
Where clover is to follow wheat it of course precludes the burning of 
stubble or the destruction of volunteer plants, but it necessitates the 
rotation of crop, and decoys can be sown and the seeding delayed. It 
is hardly possible for a farmer to become so situated that he can not 
carry out some of these measures, and if this were done generally, and 
every year, the Hessian fl^^ would, in all probability, become of so little 
importance that it would cease to enter seriously into the i)roblem of 
snccessful wheat growing. 



•<^ 



INDEX. 



Abbot's white pine worm, CO. 
Acer saccbarinum, 10. 
Agallia Biccifolia on beet, 16. 
Agrotis, 46. 

spp. injnring beets, 14. 
Alfalfa crops injured by grasshoppers and army 

worm, 44. 
Allygns sp., on beet, 17. 
Alnus, 42. 

Aloes as remedy for scale insects, 36. 
Amarantns, 16, 17, 
Ambrosia, 14. 

trifida, 54. 
Atnphipyra pyamidoides, 55. 
Anisota rabicunda, 9. 
Aonidia anrantii, 20. 
Aphides found on beet, 17. 
Aphididse, prevalence of, in Missouri, 48. 
Aphidius, 48. 
Aphis ambrosiae, 54. 

atriplicis, 17. 

brassicae, 54. 

chrysantherai ?, 54. 

cucnmeris, 17. 

mall, 54. 

prnnifolii, 54. 
Apion sp. on beet, 16. 
Apple leaf skeletonizer, 59. 

Microlepidoptera injurious to, 51. 
Arabia, 47. 
Army worm damaging beets, 14. 

attacking alfalfa crops, 44. 
Arphia sordida, 59. 

Arsenites of ammonia, experiments with, 55, 61. 
Aspidlotas anrantii, 19, 26, 29. 
citrinus, 29, 36. 
perniciosus, 26, 27, 28. 
Athysanns (? sp.) on beet, 17. 
Atriplex, 13, 15. 
Australian lady-bird, 19. 
Beetles injuring beet leaves, list of, 14. 
beet roots, list of, 1 7. 
Beet insects, list of, 13. 

remedies against, 18. 
Black chrysanthemum aphis, 54. 

scab, 26, 28. 
Blissus leucopterus on beet, 16. 
Blister beetles on beets, 15. 
Boris pesticata, 14. 
Brown scale, 26, 
Bruner, Lawrence, report by, 9. 

2o910-Bull. 23 6 



Bugs on beet, 16. 
Cacoecia fervidana, 50. 
Caecilius aurantiacus, 27. 
California insects, notes on, 19, 37. 
Caloptenus devastator, 44. 
Camnula pellucida, 44. 
Canker worms, 46. 

Cantharis nuttalli destructive to beets, 15. 
Ceanothus, 42, 43. 
Centrinus peuicillus on beet, 16. 
perscitus on beet, 16. 
Cercocarpus, 43. 

Cereal crops, report on insects affecting, 63. 
Chaetocnema deuticulata, 15. 

pulicaria, 47. 
Chalcid parasites of Clisiocampa, 43. 
Characlea angulata, 55. 
Chenopodium, 14, 15, 16, 17. 
Cherry slug, 60. 
Chinch bug, 16,46. 
Chrysanthemum Aphis, 54. 
Chrysopa, 48. 
Cidaria diversilineata, 55. 
Citrus trees destroyed by red scale, 19. 
Clisiocampa californica, 43. 

constricta, 42, 43. 

erosa, 42. 

thoracica, 42. 

parasites of, 43. 
Codling moth, 9. 
Colaspis brunnea on beets, 15. 
Coleoptera attacking beet leaves, 14. 

beet roots, 17. 
Colorado potato-beetle on beet, 16. 
Conotrachelus, 47. 
Copidryas gloveri, 14. 
Coquillett, I). W., report by, 19. 
Com ear.worm, 9. 
flea-beetle, 47. 
root-worm, 9, 60. 
Corrosive sublimate as remedy for scale insects, 34. 
Cottony cushion scale, 19. 
Crarabus exsiccatus, 58. 
Cratsgus, 42. 

Cryptolechia nubeculosa, 50. 
schlegerella, 50. 
Cut-worms destructive to beets, 14. 
Cydonia, 45. 
Darapsa myron, S5, 
Datana angusii, 49. 

ministra, 49, 50, 55, 60, 62. 

81 



82 



Deilephila linoata feeding on beet leaves, 14. 
Deltocephalns debilis, 58. 
inimicns, 53. 
Bayi, 58. 

melshoiraeri, 58. 
Desmia luaculalis, 55. 
Devastating locust, ii. 
Devereaux, W. L., letter, 7i. 
Diabrotica, 55. 

longicornis, 9, 60. 
12-punctata, 14, CO. 
vittata, 60. 
Disonycha cervicalis, 15. 
crenicoUis, 15. 
triangularis, 14. 
xanthonielaena, 15. 
Dissosteira Carolina, 14, 59. 
Doryphora 10-lineata, 16, 55. 
Dried Crambus, 58. 
Ecbinocystis lobata, 16. 
Emblethis arenarius, 16. 
Empretia stimulea, 49, 55. 
Epicjerus inibricatus attacking beet, 15. 
Epicauta cinerea, 15. 

cinerea var. marginata, 15. 
maculata, 15. 
pennsylvauica, 15. 
Epitrix cucunieris, 15. 
Eragrostis major, 16. 
Erytbroneura sp. on beet, 17. 
Euclea querceti, 48, 49. 
Eurycreou rantalis destructive to beets, 14. 
Eutboctba galeator on beet, 16. 
Experiments for scale insects, 32. 
False cbincb bug on beet, 16. 
Flea beetles, 15, 47. 
Fluted scale insect, 19. 
Forsythia, 45. 

Fumigation for red scale, 20. 
Garden web-worm injuring beets, 14. 
Gas treatment for rod scale, 20. 
Gelechia intermediellal description of larva and 
imago, 53. 

roseosuffusella, 54. 
rubeusella, 54. 
Geocoris bullatus on beet, 16. 
Glue as remedy for scale insects, 35. 
Gortyna nitela, 46. 
Grain Aphis, 47. 
Grasshoppers, 10, 44. 
Green-striped maple worm, 10. 
Hadena, 46. 

Handmaid moth, 60, 62. 
Helianthas, 14. 
Heliotbis armigera, 9, 46, 55. 
Heniiptera attacking beet, 16, 17. 
Hessian tJy, number and development of broods, 63. 
effect of larvae on plants, 73. 
effect of weather on development of 

fall brood, 76. 
preventive measures against, 77. 
Heteroptera attacking beet, 16. 
Hibiscus militaris, 15. 
Homoptera attacking beet, 16. 
Hydrocyanic acid gas as remedy for red scale, 19,20. 
Hyphantria cuuea, 50. 



Icerya purchasi, 19. 

Ichneumonid parasites on Clisiocarapa, 43, 
Ichthynra inclusa on willows, 50. 
Indiana, report of insects of, 63. 
Insecticides, experiments with, 54. 
Insects injurious in California, 19, 37. 
Indiana, 63. 
Iowa, 57. 
Missouri, 45. 
Nebraska, 9. 
to beets, list of, 13, 
Iowa, injurious insects of, 57. 
Jassidae in grass, 58. 
Jassus inimicns, 58. 
June bugs attacking beets, 17. 
Koebele, Albert, report by, 37. 
Lachnosterna fusca attacking beet roots, 17. 
Lagoa crispata, 49. 
Leaf-hoppers attacking beet, 16, 17. 

in grass, 58. 
Lecanium hesperidum, 26. 

oleaj, 26, 28, 29, 31. 
Lepidium, 47. 

Lepidoptera injurious to apple, 51. 
beet, 13. 
Leucania unipuncta damaging beets, 14. 
Liburnia intertexta on beet, 17. 
Ligyrus gibbosus destructive to sugar beet, 17. 
Limacodes larvse, 48. 

scapha, 49. 
Lime wash for scale insects, 32. 
Locusts, 10. 

Lophophanes inornatus, 44. 
Lnphyrus abbotii, 60. 
Lygus pratensis on beet, 16. 
Mamestra picta attacking beets, 13, 

trifolii, attacking beets, 14. 
Maple, soft, 9. 

worm, 10. 
Melanoplus atlanis, 14. 

bivittatus, 14. 

diflferentialis, 14, 59. 

femur-rubrum, !•), 59. 

spretus, 14. 
Mercuric chloride as remedy for scale insects, 34. 
Microlepidoptera injurious to apple, 51. 
Missouri, injurious insects of, 45. 
Montilia, 17. 

Murtfeldt, Mary E., report by, 45. 
Myzns persicse, 54. 
Nicholson, H. H., letter, 12. 
Nebraska, injurious insects of 9. 
Nemobius vittatus, 59. 
Nysius angustatus on beet, 16, 
Opuntia engelmanni, 21. 
Orgyia leucostigma on sycamore, 50. 
Orthoptera injurious to beets, list of, 14, 
Osborn, Herbert, report by, 57. 
Papilis turnus, 59. 
Parasa chloris, 48. 
Pempelia hammondii, 59. 
Penthina chionosema, description of larva and 

imago, 51. 
Pezotettix olivaj3eus, 14. 
Picris rapsB, 55. 
Piesma cinerea on beet, 16, 



83 



Pine worm, 60. 
Phobetron pithecium, 49. 
Phyllotreta sinuata, 47. 
vittata, 47. 
Phylloxera, experiments with resin compounds 

on, 37. 
Plant lice, 47. 
Plochionns timidus, 50. 
Plnm curculio, 47. 
Plusia brassicai attacking beets, 14. 
Potato stalk weevil, 60. 
Proteopteryx spoliana, description of larva and 

adult, 52. 
Psychomorpha epimenis, 55. 
Psylliodes convexior on leaves of beets, 15. 
Purshia tridentata, 42. 
Purslane bug, 16. 
Quercus agrifolia, 42. 
Ked scale destructive to citrus trees, 19. 

gas treatment for, 20. 
Ked Bpider, 26. 

Kemedies against beet insects, 18. 
Besin compounds on phylloxera, 37. 

wash for San Jos6 scale, 27. 
Khamnus californica, 43. 
Bbns copalina, 49. 

glabra, 49. 
Saddle-back caterpillar, 49. 
San Jos6 scale, 23. 

resin wash for, 27. 
Salt and lime wash, 32. 
and sulphur wash, 32. 
wash for scale insects, 31. 
Saturnia io, 49. 

Scale insects, methods for destroying, 19. 
Scbizoneura lanigera, 26, 54. 
Selandria cerasi, 60. 

rosas, 55. 
Silpha opaca, occurrence in beet fields, 17, 
Silver-top in grass, 58. 
Siphonophora avenae. 47, 54. 
cratsegi, 54. 



Siphonophora pisi, 17. 
rosae, 56. 
rudbeckia), 54. 
Snout-beetles attacking beet, 15, 16. 
Sodworm, 58. 
Solanum nigrum, 15. 

Spharagemon aequale feeding on sugar-beet, 14. 
Sphinx quinque-maculata, 55. 
Spilosoma Isabella iniuriugbeet leaves, 13. 

virginica injuring beet leaves, 13. 
Steganoptycha sp., description of larva, 52. 
description of imago, 53. 
salicicolana, 53. 
Stinging larvjB, 48, 
Striped flea-beetles, 47. 
Sugar beet culture, suggestions in regard to, 11. 

insects, 11. 
Sulphur wash for scale insects, 32. 
Systena fiontalis, 15. 

taeniata var. blanda, 15. 
Tachina flies parasitic on clisiocampa, 43. 
Taeniocampa, 43. 
Tetranychus telarius, 26. 
Tomonotas sulphnreus, 59. 
Trapezonotus nebulosus, 16. 
Trichobaris trinotatus, 60. 
Trimerotropis latifasciata, 14. 
Trioxys, 48. 
Turf web-worm, 58. 
Turnus butterfly, 59. 
Vedalia cardinalis, 19. 
Washes for scale insects, 27, 30, 31 , 34. 

experiments with, 31. 
Webster, F. M., report by, 63. 
White grubs attacking beet roots, 17. 

pine worm, 60. 
Wickson, E. -J., letter, 75. 
Wire-worms on beets, 17. 
Wisteria, 49. 
Woolly Aphis, 26. 
X. 0. dust, experiments with, 54. 
Yellow scale, 29. 



U.S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 

DIVISIOX OF ENTOMOLOGY. 
BULLETIi^ No. 2Q. 



.^^ 



^ ' ^■" REPORTS 



OBSERVATIONS AND EXPERIMENTS 



] IN 


THE PRACTICAL WORK OF THE DIVISION, 


MADE 


UNDER THE DIRECTION OF THE ENTOMOLOGIST. 


1 

(PUBLISHED BY AUTHORITV OF THE SECRETARV OF AGRICULTURE.) 


WASHINGTON: 


GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE. 


1892. 



^u-b, Seri ej 



U.S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, 

division of entomology. 

Bulletin No. 26. 



REPORTS 



OBSERVATIONS AND EXPERIMENTS 



IN 



THE PRACTICAL WORK OF THE DIVISION, 



UNDER THE DIRECTION OF THE ENTOMOLOGIST. 



(PUBLISHED BY AUTHORITY OF THE SECRETARY OK AGRICULTURE.) 



WASHINGTON: 

GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE. 
1892. 



^ 



^- 



^ 



^■^yj 









CONTENTS. 



Page. 

Letter of Traxsmittal 5 

Introduction 7 

Report UPON Insect Depredations in Nebraska Lawrence Bnmer.. 9 

Report on the Scale-insects of California 7). W. Coquilhft.. 13 

Entomological Notes for the Season of 1891 Mary E. MurtfeJdt.. 36 

Report of Progress in the Investigation of the Cotton boll 

Worm F. W. Mally.. 45 

Insects of the Season in Iowa Herhert Osborn . . 57 

Report of Entomological Work of the Season of 1891.. i*'. If. Webster.. 63 

Report upon the Gypsy,Moth in Massachusetts Samuel Henshaiv . . 75 

Report of Apicultural Experiments in 1891 A. J. Cook.. 83 

3 



LETTER OE TRANSMIHAL 



U. S. Department of Agriculture, 

Division of Entomology, 
Washington, D. C, January 5, 1892. 
Sir : I have tlie lionor to submit for publication BuUetiu No. 20 of 
til is Division. It comprises the reports of the field agents of the Divi- 
sion for the past year (1891), a summary of which has been included in 
your annual report. 
Respectfully, 

C. V. ElLEY, 

Entomologist. 
Hon. J. M. EusK, 

Secretary of Agriculture. 



I 



REPORTS OF OBSERVATIONS AND EXPERIMENTS IN THE PRACTICAL 
WORK OF THE DIVISION. 



INTEODUCTION". 

Mr. Albert Koebele, the agent of the Division at Alameda, Cal., was 
sent to Xew Zealand and Anstvalia early in August, and much of Lis 
time for a month or so previous to his departure was taken up with 
preparations for the journey. The course of experiments assigned to 
him was therefore interrupted, and there is no formal report from him 
the present season. The reports of the other agents are included in 
this Bulletin, including a report of the season's observations upon the 
Boll Worm by Mr. Mally. These reports are little more than summaries 
of the work j^ftrformed by each of these agents. Special investigations 
have, from time to time, been assigned to them and upon matters of 
innnediate importance reports have been received at different times 
through the year and summarized in short articles in Insect Life. 

Mr. Bruner's report includes only a brief account of the injurious in- 
se(^ts which have been most prominent during the year in Nebraska. 
The gTcater i^ortion of his time was devoted to the investigation of 
destructive locusts, a full account of which will be published in Bulle- 
tin No. 27. 

Mr. Coquillett gives a full account of his work upon California scale- 
insects, and includes many new facts and the results of a uuriber of 
important experiments. His report upon the work of the desti'uctive 
locusts of California during 1891 will also be published in Bulletin 
No. 27. 

Miss Mary E. Murtfeldt gives in her report her usual summary of the 
injurious insects of the season in Missouri and of experiments with in- 
secticides. 

Prof. Osborn, in addition to a report \^^o^l the destructive locusts of 
Kansas, has submitted a report upon the insects of the season in Iowa, 
and includes with this an account of some successful trials with a sin- 

7 



8 

gle coal-oil pan against leaf-hoppers and young locusts, and other in- 
sects injurious to pastures. 

Mr. F. M. Webster reported last year uj^on the development of the 
Hessian Fly, indicating the desirability of late sowing as a means of 
lessening the fall attack. He has found the present season that where 
this late sowing is practiced a procrastination in preparing the ground 
for seeding leads to the development of other injurious insects, viz, the 
larvae of certain Crane-flies upon which he reports this year in fall. 
He recommends plowing in the latter part of August or the early part 
of September, and refraining from seeding until later. 

Prof. A. J. Cook, who was temporarily in charge of the experiments 
in Apiculture, reports upon a series of investigations which he car- 
ried out during the season with the help of Mr. J. H. Larrabee. 

Mr. Samuel Henshaw has been engaged chiefly in work on the bibli- 
ography of economic entomology, but was requested to make some 
observations on the Gypsy Moth, and the report on that insect and on 
the work being done against it by the State of Massachusetts is also 
included. 

C. V. R. 



EEPOET UPON mSECT DEPEEBATIOKS IN KEBEASKA 

FOE 1891. 



By Lawrence Bruner, Special Agent. 



LETTER OF SUBMITTAL. 

Lincoln, Nebr., Ocfoher 11, 1891. 

Sir: In accordance with past custom I submit herewith a report upon the results 
of my labors as special field agent for Nebraska, engaged in the studies of life-his- 
tories and habits of insects related to agriculture during the past summer. In pre- 
senting this report I am pleased to be able to record a season of comparative free- 
dom from the ravages of most of our common insect pests, but wish that it might 
have been even better in this respect than it has, for during years when insect depre- 
dations are comparatively light and scarcely noticeable it is safe to say that fully as 
much as one-tenth to one-eighth of the entire production of a country is thus de- 
stroyed. 

While we have had comparative immunity from insect ravages here in Nebraska, 

it has not been so in some other States. Even here we have been obliged to recoo-- 

nize a few species as being more than ordinarily abundant and destructive. These 

will be mentioned briefly in the following pages. 

Very respectfully yours, 

Lawrence Bruner. 
C. V. Riley, 

U. S. Entomologiat. 



The present summer has been an extraordinary one for Nebraska as 
far as its agricultural interests are concerned. We have had abundant 
crops of nearly every one of our staple products, and our climatic condi- 
tions have been such as to indicate even better results for next year. 
But few insect enemies appeared in destructive numbers, and these few 
only in limited areas. Some of these are mentioned below, along with 
a few notes on their occurrence and habits. 

MISCELLANEOUS INSECTS. 

The Corn-root Worm, Diabrotica longicornis, appears to be alarmingly 
on the increase over many of the eastern counties of the State. During 
the past summer it has been reported from a number of new localities, 
and has been noted as especially numerous in some of the counties 

9 



10 

along tlie Elkliorn Eiver. Everywlieie tlint it has been reported as 
uncoinmouly destructive investigations reveal tlie fact tliat rotation in 
crops is not practiced, but that corn is planted year after year ui)on 
the same grounds. This fact alone would account for its increase and 
spread, as has been demonstrated by repeated experiments by different 
entomologists as well as by farmers themselves. It had been my inten- 
tion during the past summer to make special efforts to ascertain whether 
or not this insect had other food plants in this region, but my absence 
from home for the greater part of the time when this would have been 
under way made this investigation imj)ossible, and it must be under- 
taken next year. 

The Green-striped Maple Worm. — This insect continues to strip our 
silver maples of their leaves in the cities and towns of the State. Usu- 
ally the spring brood does not appear in sufficient numbers to entirely 
defoliate the trees; but, as a rule, the next brood is numerous enough 
to do this. Thus far it has been my exjierience that it is next to impos- 
sible to induce the owners of property to do anything toward jjrotect- 
ing their shade trees from the injuries of this and other insect enemies. 
They will do everything but the right thing, even to bandaging them 
with cotton (medicated) as a protection againt this and similar moths. 
As matters a])pear at X)resent we will have an abundant cro]) of jVIai)le 
Worms in this i^art of the country next year again ; also a number of 
bared trees along the streets to advertise the ignorance of our people 
as to the life-history of this insect. 

Lyda sp. — During the niontli of June specimens of the larvne of some 
species of sawfiy, belonging to the genus Lyda, were received from a 
number of correspondents residing in various i)ortions of central Ne- 
braska. These " slugs " were said to comi)letely defoliate the wild ]>lum 
trees of the respective localities from which the reports and specimens 
came. None of the mature insects were reared or received, hence I 
can not say to which species they belonged. 

The Gooseberry iSpan-worm. — This insect attracted especial attention 
during the year. The larvae of this luoth appeared in great numbers 
in portions of some of the newer settled regions to the north and west 
of here, where in many cases they com])let«'ly delbliated currant and 
gooseberry bushes. Over the older settled portions of the State, how- 
ever, they were not reported at all. Tliis fact is probably due to the 
presence of insectivorous birds and parasitic insects in greater num- 
bers where the country has been settled for a longer time. Such is 
evidently the reason for having most of my inquiries come from the 
newer settled districts. 

SUGAR BEET INSECTS. 

A study of the insect enemies of the Sugar Beet has been continued 
throughout the spring and summer, with tlie results of adding several 
species to the list as published last year. Beyond these adtlitions no 



11 

new facts of importance have come to light; nor do I find it neces- 
sary to change my recommendations of the use of kerosene emulsion 
and the arsenical sprays as remedies against the attacks of insects 
upon this plant. 

Monoxia guUulata Lee. — This leaf-beetle has been sent to me from 
the Oregon Agricultural Experiment Station by Prof. F. L. Washburn, 
who reports it as very injurious to the Sugar Beet in the State of Ore- 
gon. He also stated that he had found three teaspoonfuls of Paris 
green in 4 gallons of water, in which 4 ounces of whale oil and soft soap 
had been dissolved, to be an effective remedy without injuring the foli- 
age. He suggests that probably the poison would have been equally 
effective without the whale oil and soap. 

Prof. Washburn also reports that he has taken Hlppodamia convergens 
and Dlahrotica vittata feeding on the leaves of the Sugar Beet in his 
State. The latter insect has also been taken here in Ifebraska during 
the present year while feeding on leaves of both the ordinary and 
the Sugar Beet. Biahrotica longu-ornis has also been collected upon 
this plant two or three times here at Lincoln. Whether or not it feeds 
upon the beet, I can not say at present, since the matter has not been 
verified by actual observation. 

Cutworms. — In the early i)art of the season the larvae of several of 
these insects were very plentiful upon the experimental farm here at 
Lincoln, where they almost destroyed the entire crop of Sugar Beets 
growing upon two of the plats. One noticeable fact in this connection 
was that where there had been fall plowing and plowing again this year 
but few of the worms were present and consequently little injury was 
done to the beets growing on such i^oitious of the field. 

CABBAGE INSECTS. 

Cahhage Butterfies. — These insects were not especially numerous over 
the State during the year, but are referred to here simply because 1 
wish to call attention to a rei)orted "new" remedy against them. To 
say the least, it is unique as well as simple, if it proves as effectual 
as is claimed for it. This remedy was brought to my notice about two 
weeks ago (Sei»tember 29) while at West Point, mj^ old home, on busi- 
ness connected with my work for the Division of Entomology. The 
remedy is simply this: The cabbage plants are sprinkled with ordi- 
nary corn meal while they are wet with dew or immediately after a rain 
so the meal will cling to the leaves at all points. My informant cer- 
tainly had nice cabbages that were free from worms, and all he had done 
in the way of a preventive or remedy was to use this corn meal as above 
directed or exjtlained. He claimed that in a few days after sprinkling 
on the meal all the worms would be found dead and turned black, cling- 
ing to the leaves of the plants. Several cabbages that had i)urposely 
been left untreated were rather full of the caterpillars of different sizes. 
In order to test the coru-meal remedy for myself I treated these. On 



12 

the 10th of October I received the cabbages thus treated by express 
just as they were wheu cut from the roots. The accompauyiug letter 
reads as follows : 

The worms seem to become torpid at first — at least inactive, and then seem to dry up. 
How the meal acts on the worms I can not say. Can not say whether they eat it by 
itself or whether it gets mixed up with the leaves they eat, or whether the meal that 
gets on them, by adhering to them, acts like poison on them. The meal does notseeui 
to do any good unless there is a heavy dew on the cabbages and it will adhere well. 
Perhaps they get killed by the meal getting on them while the dew is on them. But 
I think not. 

When the cabbages were received by me the worms were dead aud 
partly dried up, just as they had beeu described to me. I do uot know 
what to think of the matter, and give the facts as they appear here. 

Eleodes trkostata. — A cabbage pest in the shape of a rather active, 
cylindrical, grayish-brown Coleopterous larva was noted for the first 
time during the past spring here at Lincoln. In some of our market 
gardens this larva did even more injury than was conmntted by the 
various cutworms that were quite plentiful and against which we are 
obliged to contend every spring. This larva not only attacked cab- 
bages, but also showed a decided inclination to feed upon various other 
products of the garden. It was also found to be a general feeder both 
upon the prairies aud in the fields where it even attacked the weeds. 
By placing specimens of nearly full-grown larvse into a breeding cage 
it was a surprise to me when I found that from them developed the 
common Eleodes tricostata. This insect appears to be greatly on the 
increase here in Nebraska, aud especially does it seem to be increasing- 
over the settled portions. 

While speaking of this beetle, it might be well to record the fact that 
I have very frequently observed attached to the elytra of tricostata and 
opaca the eggs of some Tachina fly. In several instances as many as 
three or four of such eggs were observed upon the back of a single 
beetle. No eflbrt has been made by me to rear these Tachinids, nor 
even to ascertain whether or not the eggs had hatched, and, if so, 
whether or uot the young maggots had succeeded in entering the bodies 
of the beetles. 



EEPORT ON THE SCALE-INSECTS OF CALIFORNIA. 



By D. W. COQUILLETT. 



LETTER OF SUBMITTAL. 

Los Angeles, Cal., October 17, 1S91. 

Sir : I herewith submit iny annual report for the year 1891, consisting of notes on 
the principal kinds of scale-insects found in this State, together with the remedies 
employed for their destruction. 

The Fluted or Cottony-cushion Scale (leery a purchasi Mask.) has been kept in 
subjection by the Australian Liadyhird (Vedalia car din alls Mn\s.) &ist imported into 
southern California by this Division under your direction. The propagating houses 
erected at San Gabriel by our State Board of Horticulture at the suggestion of its 
president, and especially intended to preserve these Ladybirds from being destroyed 
by the inclement weather of the winter season, were not stocked with the lady- 
birds until nearly half of the winter season had passed by ; from these houses a great 
many colonies of these useful insects were distributed to A^arious parts of the State 
during the first half of the year, but none are in either of the houses at the present 
time and I am informed that none will be on hand for distribution before next March. 
Fortunately, however, Mr. A. F. Kercheval, of this city, formerly the President ot 
our County Board of Horticulture, infested with the Iceryas a large patch of nettles 
growing in the hills, several miles from any cultivated orchard, and later, after the 
Iceryas had become very numerous upon these nettles, he introduced a number of 
the ladybirds among them, so that at the present time these ladybirds can be ob- 
tained from this source in suflScent numbers to meet all local demands. In accord- 
ance with your instructions I had a tent erected over an orange tree in this city for 
the purpose of breeding a sufficient number of Iceryas to serve as food for the Lady- 
birds intended to be sent to foreign countries, since I have heretofore found it quite 
impossible to obtain sufficient of these for this purpose from other sources. 
RespectfuUy yours, 

T). W. COQUILLETT. 

Prof. C. V. Riley, 

U. S. Entomologist. 



NOTES ON SCALE INSECTS. 

In this State there is no class of insects more destructive to fniit 
trees than those commonly known as scale insects. Other insects may 
occasionally strip the tree of its leaves or rob it of its fruit, but none 
appear over such wide areas and cause such widespread destruction to 
the trees themselves as do these insidious, highly destructive pests. 
Up to the present time but little has been written upon the habits and 

as 



14 

early stages of those insects. A few obseivaliuiis of this nature are 
given in the Annual Eeport of this Department for the year 1880, fur- 
nished by the former Entomologist, who si:>ent a few weeks in this State 
during the year above mentioned. The habits and natural history 
of the Fluted or Cottony Scale {Icerya purchasi Mask.) have been 
thoroughly studied out and a complete account has been i)ublished by 
Prof, liiley in the former reports and bulletins of this Department. I 
have nothing new to add to what has already been written and pub- 
lished in regard to this pest. 

The following notes upon various kinds of scale-insects occurring in 
this State were taken by the writer during a residence of about eight 
years in various parts of the State, and, although of a fragmentary 
nature, will still throw some light ujion the habits and early stages of 
these pests. To these notes I have added my exi)erience with various 
remedies employed for the destruction of these insects. 

The Red Scale. 
(AsjyidiotKs aura7itii Mask.) 

This at the present time is the most injurious scale-insect that our 
growers of citrus fruits have to contend with. As near as I have been 
able to learn it was first introduced into this State in the year 1879,* 
upon lemon trees brought from Australia and planted in one of the 
orange groves of this city. Mr. Alexander Oraw, who formerly had 
charge of a large orange and lemon grove almost adjoining the one in 
which these infested trees were planted, informed me that when he first 
saw the Eed Scales upon these imported trees he feared that they would 
prove to be a great pest, and expressed his fears to the owner of the 
trees, advising him to destroy the infested trees with fire. This he 
promised to do, but shortly afterward was taken sick and died, and 
the property passed into the hands of an administrator, who claimed 
that he had no legal right to destroy any of the property placed in his 
care, and therefore the infested trees were allowed to stand and the 
scale s])read from them to the adjoining groves until it was found im- 
possible to eradicate them. 

At about the same time that these infested trees Avere brought to 
Los Angeles others from the same locality, and like them also infested 
with the Eed Scale, were taken to Orange and planted in one of the 
groves there; and from these trees almost every citrus grove in that 
locality became infested Avith these pests. 

The number of broods that this species produces in one season is not 
definitely knoAvn, and doubtless varies Avith the character of the sea- 
son, hot weather accelerating their development, Avhile cool Aveather 
retards it. From observation which I have made it is quite evident 
that in ordinary seasons at least four generations are produced in one 

* Facts which we have not space to detail here make it tolerahly certain that the 
Red JScale was introduced at least several years prior to this date. — C. V. R. 



15 

year. The adult female deposits eggs, but tliese are in sucli advanced 
stage of develoiiment that they usually hatch out withiu twenty-four 
hours after being de])osited. I find by reference to my note book that 
on the 28tli of May, at 4 o'clock in the afternoon, I found beneath an 
adult female of this species one recently hatched young scale insect and 
two eggs, all of them being of a pale yellow color; one of these eggs 
hatched out a few hours after I found it and the other hatched out the 
day following its discovery. The young scale-insect from the last-men- 
tioned e^ii; had formed a thin white scale over it by 8 o'clock the next 
morning, the scale being regularly hemispherical in shape. This spe- 
cies evidently breeds during every month of the year. I have found 
adult males early in the month of March and as late as October. Early 
in ]\Iarch I have seen the young scale-insects crawling about, and by 
the latter part of July adult females maybe found upon the green fruit, 
which usually sets in February or March. The greatest increase, how- 
ever, occurs during the three months of July, August, and September. 
While the Red Scale prefers citrus trees to all others, and probably 
could not maintain itself for a succession of years upon any other kind 
of tree or plant, still I have frequently found adults of this species 
upon the following plants growing in the immediate vicinity of infested 
citrus trees: 

English Walnut, Castor Bean, 

Eucalyptus, Kennedy a rnhicunda, 

Acacia, Passion Flower, 

Pear, Fuchsia, 

Rose, iSolanuin douglasii, 

Camphor Tree, Bidens sp., 

Grape, SoUdago calif ornica, 

California Palm, and various other weeds. 

Date Palm, 
On one occasion I saw a young Englisli walnut tree the bark of w^iich 
was as thickly infested witli Red Scales as any citrus tree could be; it 
was growing only a few yards from several orange trees on which these 
scales were extremely abundant. 

Among the insect enemies of the Red Scale the Twice-stabbed Lady- 
bird {Ghilocoriis hicuhierus Muls.) is perliaps the most common and 
widespread; 1 liave repeatedly seen the larva of this ladybird tear olf 
the upper scale and feed upon the scale insect itself, and in some in- 
stances fully one- half of the scales on several of the oranges and lem- 
ons liad been destroyed by these larvfe. For some reason, at present 
unknown, this ladybird never becomes sufficiently numerous to keep 
these scale-insects within due limits, even in restricted localities. About 
one year ago ]Mr. A. Kercheval, of this city, at that time president of 
the Los Angeles County Board of Horticulture, inclosed in a tent one 
of his orange trees quite thickly infested with the Red Scale, and then 
introduced into this tent a large number of these ladybirds, for the 



16 

purpose of ascertaining if they were capable of freeing this one tree of 
the Red Scales ; but after waiting several months he found that the 
ladybirds had not made any appreciable headway against the Scales, 
the latter being quite as numerous as they were at the time the lady- 
birds were first confined in the tent with them. 

In the early part of May, 1890, I found two of these ladybirds to 
the underside of whose bodies was attached a fungus growth of a yel- 
lowish color and very noticeable even to the naked eye. These speci- 
mens were submitted to Dr. Roland Thaxter, the Mycologist of the 
Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station, who has made a special 
study of these low forms of plant life, and he ascertained that this 
yellowish fungus belonged to a new genus and species which he has 
since characterized under the name of Hesperomyces virescens. It is not 
probable that this fungus would ultimately have caused the death of 
the Ladybirds, since Dr. Thaxter writes as follows concerning the 
members of the group to which it belongs : 

The LaboulbeniaceaB constitute a small group of very peculiar and minute forms 
which have been placed by De Bai'y among the doubtful Ascomycetes. Their para- 
sitism is an external one, which apparently results in little, if any, inconvenience 
to the host, each individual being fixed by a pedicellate attachment to the legs, 
thorax, or other portion of the affected insect, (Memoirs Boston Society Natural 
History, Vol. iv, p. 135.) 

Another ladybird whose larva I have found feeding upon the Red 
Scale is an undetermined species of Scymnus, closely related to Scytn- 
nus marginicollis Mann., but having a distinct metallic, somewhat 
brassy tinge upon the wing cases. This ladybird measures less than 
an eighth of an inch in length; the head and thorax are of a light red- 
dish color, the wing cases black, with a slight brassy tinge and thickly 
covered with rather short, light colored hairs. Its larva has never 
been described so far as I am aware. It is of the same general form as 
the other ladybird larvae, being broadest at the middle and somewhat 
tapering toward each end. The color varies from a. brownish gray to 
olive brown, and in the younger individuals even to a blackish brown. 
In the middle of the back on segments from 4 to 7 is a lighter, 
somewhat pinkish stripe, darkest in the middle, and on the front part 
of segment 4 it is encroached upon by the dark ground color. There 
is sometimes a whitish stripe on each side of segments 2 and 3. 
Low down on each side of the body are two rows of black warts sit- 
uated on whitish spots, each wart giving forth a cluster of several short 
whitish bristles. On the back are two rows of similar but much smaller 
warts, those on segments 4 to 7 being light-colored. The head is 
brownish gray, with the sides more blackish. The full-grown larva 
measures about one-seventh of an inch in length. When about to as- 
sume the pupa form it attaches the posterior extremity of its body to 
some convenient object and after a short time the skin splits open at 
the front end and is gradually worked backwards until it covers only 



17 

the last one or two segments of the abdomen, where it is allowed to 
remain. The pupa is of the usual form and of a very pale yellow color, 
except that the back and under side of the abdomen is tinged with 
orange yellow. The entire pupa is thinly covered with short light yel- 
lowish bail's. It measures about one-ninth of an inch in length. One 
of these larva assumed the pupa form on the 14th of July and was 
changed to a beetle six days later. 

I have seen numerous thickly infested oranges and lemons upon each 
of which were from two to half a dozen of these larvte, while the scales 
were so torn up as to give the infested fruit a roughened appearance 
very noticeable upon a slight inspection. I have also found this larva 
upon apple trees infested with the Woolly Aphis (ScMzoneura, lanigera 
Hausm.), and in such cases the larva frequently attaches to the bris- 
tles on various parts of its body portions of the woolly substance taken 
from the bodies of its victims. 

Besides the larvie of these two ladybirds, I have also seen the larva of 
the California Lace- wing {Ghrysopa calif ornica Coq.) feeding upon the 
Red Scale. Almost every fruit-grower in southern California is famil- 
iar with the appearance of these active, ])ale gray larva? which have 
somewhat the appearance of miniature alligators, and provided with a 
pair of long, slender, pincer-likejaws projecting some distance in front 
of the head. In attacking a Red Scale this larva inserts its right man- 
dible, or jaw, beneath the scale, then presses the tip of its other mandible 
against the upper side of the scale, thus bringing the scale-insect be- 
tween the tips of its mandibles ; in this way it extracts the juices of the 
scale through its right mandible which, being hollow, answers this pur- 
pose admirably. These larvae feed upon a great variety of insects and 
their eggs, and even do not hesitate to attack each other, the stronger 
attacking and devouring or rather extracting the juices of the weaker 
ones, while the latter take this proceeding as a matter of course, never 
so much as making the least show at resistance. It is doubtless largely 
due to this cannibalistic propensity of theirs that these highly benefi- 
cial insects do not become more numerous and render greater service to 
the horticulturist by destroying the noxious insects that infest his trees 
and plants. Their numbers are also still further decimated by the at- 
tacks of internal parasites. From the larvae and pupae of this Lace- 
wing I have bred no less than four dift'erent kinds of these parasites, 
only one of which, the Isodromus iceryw Howard, has as yet been de- 
scribed. These parasites seldom issue until after the liace-wing larva 
has spun its cocoon. The parasitic larvae spin no cocoons of their own, 
but assume the pupa form within the cocoons of their hosts, and, after 
being changed to the perfect or winged state, they gnaw irregular 
holes usually in one end of the cocoon, out of which they escape. I 
have bred two of the parasitic Isodromus from a single pupa of the 
Lace-wing, wliile from another pupa issued sixteen specimens of an 
undetermined species of Tetrastichus. Of the other two kinds of para- 
aiaSli— No. 26 ^2 



18 

sites referred to above, one of which is a Pteromahis and the other a 
Pcrilampus, only one specimen has thus far issued from a single pupa 
of the Lace-A\ ing-. 

Besides the losses in their ranks occasioned by the attacks of these 
internal parasites, and the losses sustained through the cannibalistic 
habits of their fellows, the Lace- wings suffer still further from the at- 
tacks of spiders, which I have occasionally seen feeding upon the eggs 
of this insect as well as upon the adult Lace-wing itself. Notwith- 
standing the fact that the eggs of this insect are elevated on the tip 
of a slender pedicel, an evident i)rovision of nature to protect them 
from the rapacious jaws of the Lace-wing larvse, still many of them, 
as just stated, fall a prey to spiders and doubtless also to vaiious kinds 
of predaceous insects, or even to the attacks of the Lace-wing larvae 
themselves, as if nature were unable to cope with the scheming and 
cunning of her many children. With all of these drawbacks to con- 
tend with, it is not to be wondered at that these Lace- wing larvae never 
become more numerous than they have at any time in the past. At 
the same time it is evidently not within our power to change the exist- 
ing conditions to such an extent that these larvjie would become so 
numerous as to free our plants and trees of the noxious insects that 
infest them. 

Besides the above-mentioned enemies of the Red Scale there are also 
other agencies not at i^resent clearly understood, but which occasionally 
very materially lessen the numbers of these pests. A few years ago 
Mr. H. F. Gardner, of Orange, in the adjoining county of the same 
name, drew my attention to the fact that a large percentage of the Red 
Scales of all sizes ujion his orange and lemon trees, as well as of the 
Black Scales {Lecanimn olece Bern.) upon his olive trees were dead, 
although they had not been treated with any kind of insecticide. A 
close inspection of his trees revealed the fact that fully SO per cent of 
the Red Scales upon these particular trees were dead, while upon the 
adjoining olive trees we found only a single colony of Black Scales still 
alive. This latter colony was in a sheltered situation and contained 
about a dozen individuals of all sizes. All of the other Black Scales 
upon the trees that I examined were dead and dry. In neighboring 
orange groves I also found several trees upon which fully 60 per cent 
of the Red Scales of all sizes were dead. Thinking that perhaps these 
might have been destroyed by some low form of fungus, I submitted 
specimens of them to Mr. Galloway, the Mycologist of this Department, 
with the request that they be examined for traces of such fungus, and 
under date of October 11, 1889, Miss E. A. Southworth, the Assistant 
Mycologist, wrote me as follows concerning them: 

I have examined the scales on the lemons and find that the black ones are covered 
■with a fnn«cua which also spreads over the frnit to some extent. Whether or not 
this fnngns is wJiat kills the scales I can not say positively, but I find a little 
of the fungus on some of the scales that seem to be living, which would indicate 
that it does attack the living ones and destroys them. 



19 

In reply to an inquiry for further information upon this subject Miss 
Southworth wrote me as follows, un<ler date of November 2, 1889: 

I think the fungus which I found on the orange scale is a Capnodium, although 
there is an unusual absence of eftused mycelium, the spores appearing to be borne 
mainly on upright conidiophores. It is in the conidial stage and no pycnidia or 
pcrithecia are jiresent. It is accordingly impossible to be certain of the species, 
although I incline to the belief that it is C. citri. This species has now, however, 
been changed to Meliola citri. 

I do not think I stated positively that I found the fungus on living scales. I found 
it sparingly on Red Scales, but I could not be sure they were living. 

The fungus referred to as Gapnodium citri is the same kind that 
causes the '■'■ black-smut" on citrus and other kinds of trees, and is sup- 
posed to draw its nourishment from the excretions of various kinds of 
insects that feed upon the sap of these trees. It seems very probable, 
therefore, that this fungus would also attack the liviug insects them- 
selves, although, as Miss Southworth states, we can not say positively 
that such is really the case. 

But, notwithstanding the great number of these scale-insects that 
annually fall a prey to their various insect enemies, and the thousands 
that perish from some cause as yet not clearly understood, still these 
pests manage to multiply at an astonishingly ra])id rate, making it 
necessary for owners of infested trees to emj)loy artificial means in 
order to save their trees from utter destruction. 

One of the most successful remedies ever used for the destruction of 
the Red Scale on citrus trees is the treatment with hydrocyanic acid 
gas, first used by the writer in the autumn of 1886. As I gave a full 
account of this treatment in my annual report for the year 1890, pub- 
lished in Bulletin No. 23, Division of Entomology of this Department, 
(pp. 20 to 27) it will be needless to more than refer to it in this con- 
nection. 

Among the different kinds of washes that have been used for the de- 
struction of these scales, the one giving the best results is known as the 
resin wash, and is fully described in my annual report for the year 1889, 
published in Bulletin No, 22 of this Division (pp. 10 to 17). This wash, 
while it does not destroy as large a percentage of the Eed Scale as the 
gas treatment, still is fatal to the Red Spider {Tetranychus ^\).) and also 
to the eggs of the Black Scale {Lecanium olece Bern.), both of which 
are frequently found on the same trees as the Red Scales, and neither 
the Red Spider nor the eggs of the Black Scale are destroyed to any 
great extent by the gas. For these reasons some of our fruit-growers 
have adopted the method of using the gas treatment and the resin 
wash alternately, first spraying the infested trees with the wash in July 
or August, which destroys the greater portion of the Red Spiders and 
Black Scales, as well as a large percentage of the Red Scales. Then in 
November or December the trees are treated with tlie gas, which pretty 
thoroughly comj)letes the destruction of the noxious insects infesting 



20 

them. By this method the trees may be almost entirely freed of the 
Red and the Black Scales, so that when the oranges and lemons are 
gathered the following spring they will be practically free of these pests. 

The Convex Scale. 

(Asjndiotus convexus Comst.) 

This scale appears to confine itself wholly to the bark of the trees it 
attacks. I do not remember of a single instance where I have found it 
infesting the leaves. Although usually attacking the Willow, on the 
trunk of which it frequently occurs in immense numbers, still I have 
also found it upon the Lombardy Poplar, Cottonwood, Walnut, and even 
upon orange trees. By reference to my note book I find it stated that 
on the 24th of Aj)ril, 1890, I found a branch of an orange tree very 
thickly infested with these scales. The branch at its thickest part 
measured about 2^ inches in diameter and was covered with these scales 
to a distance of about 4 feet on its basal or thickest part. 

This scale-insect is quite subject to the attacks of internal parasites, 
although up to the present time I have known of oidy one species thus 
to attack it. This is a small Chalcid lly known as Apheliniis fuscipennis 
Howard. I have bred these parasites in June and July from scales col- 
lected in the preceding April. 

If it is desired to destroy these scales this can doubtless be most read- 
ily accomplished by the use of the resin wash referred to in the preced- 
ing article. 

The Oleander Scale. 

(Aspidiotus verii Bouch^.) 

This species, which appears to be pretty generally distributed all 
over the known world, infests a great variety of plants. I have found 
full-grown specimens on the following- named plants and trees : 



Oak (Quercus agrifolia). 
Madrone {Arbutus menziesii). 
Nightshade {Solarium douglasii). 
China Tree {3Ielia azedarach). 
Lemon. 



Lilac {Syringa vulgaris). 

Arbor Vitse {Thuja occidentalis), on 

the cones. 
Century Plant, or Aloe {Agave 

americana). 
Magnolia grandijlora. 

I do not find by my notes that I ever found these scales on citrus 
trees of any kind, but I distinctly remember having found them upon 
green lemons still hanging upon the trees, and my impression is that I 
also found them upon the leaves of these trees. In the Annual Beport 
of this Department for the year 1880, the Entomologist also records hav- 
ing found these scales on lemons received from various sources (p. 302). 

In the above-mentioned report it is stated that the eggs of this spe- 
cies are very light yellow in color, but I find by reference to my note 
book that on the 14th of June, 1883, while examining an adult female 



21 

of this species under a compound microscope I saw lier produce a living 
yonn*>-. It would be iuterestiug to ascertain if the same species can 
be both oviparous and viviparous, but my subsequent notes on this 
species are silent on this subject. 

Although I have repeatedly iuclos'^d specimens of this species in 
boxes I have never succeeded in obtaining any internal parasites from 
them, nor can I find any jjublished reference to parasites having been 
bred from scales of this kind. 

The San Jos6 Scale. 

(Aspidiotiis 2i(")'nicio8ns Couist.) 

This is by far the most destructive scale-insect with which groAvers 
of deciduous fruit trees have to ccmtend. Its origin is uncertain, but 
the fact of its being so frequently found upon jjlants imported from 
Japan would seem to point to that country as the home of this pest. 
The name of San Jose Scale was first applied to this species by the late 
Matthew Cooke, from having first received specimens of it from the 
neighborhood of tlie city by that name in Santa Clara County. It is 
to be regretted that any locality should be thus stigmatized by having 
its name applied to a pestiferous scale-insect, and it would have been 
far better had tlie later name of Pernicious Scale, first applied to this 
species by the former entomologist of this Department, been adopted. 
However, with tlie late Asa Gray, I do not consider it advisable to 
change old names. 

This scale insect never attacks citrus nor coniferous trees so far as I 
am aware. I have examined full-grown specimens upon the following 
trees : 

Pear, Prune, 

Peach, English Walnut, 

Almond, Euonymus, 

Ai)ple, And other ornamental shrubs. 

The specimens from English walnut were received from Mr. Henry H. 
Wheeler, a prominent fruit-grower of Pomona, who writes me that he 
has also found specimens of this species on almond trees. 

This is the only scale-insect known to me that causes a red spot to 
appear upon the fruit or green bark which it infests. This discolora- 
tion is usually attributed to the saliva with which the scale-iusect 
dilutes the sap of the infested tree or fruit, but why this should j^ro- 
duce such a discoloration in the case of the present species but not in 
that of any other species is no easy matter to explain. It need not be 
taken for granted, however, that the saliva of all the ditierent species 
is identical in its composition. That of the present species may pos- 
sess some peculiar, irritating principal which does not exist in the 
saliva of any of the other .species, and therefore the effects of the 
attacks would not be the same in the different species. 



22 

Youno- branches thickly infested by this species soon present a 
gnarled, knotted, and stunted appearance, and if everything- is fa\^orable 
to the ra]>id increase of these scales the tree is finally killed by them. 
They appear to have a discrimination in relation to their food plants 
that is dithcult to account for. I have on more than one occasion seen 
Leconte pear trees growing in the midst of other varieties of pear trees 
which were thickly infested with these scales, and yet it was impossible 
to find even half a dozen specimens of these scales on the Leconte pear 
trees. I have also been informed that the Black Tartarian Cherry tree 
enjoys the same immunity from the attacks of these pests, even when 
completely surrounded with badly infested cherry trees. 

Among insect enemies the most common and widely distributed 
species is, perhaps, the Twice-stabbed Ijadybird referred to above in 
the chapter treating of the Eed Scale. I have frequently seen infested 
pear trees upon which these ladybirds occurred in large numbers, 
still 1 never knew of an instance Avhere even a single tree had been en- 
tirely or even very nearly freed of the scales by these ladybirds. 
Another ladybird which also attacks the Han Jose Scale is the small 
Scynmus referred to in the chai)ter above mentioned, but this species, 
like the ])receding one never occurs in sufticient numbers to entirely 
exterminate the scales. 

Of internal parasites I have bred from these scales large numbers of 
small, four-winged Chalcid flies known as AphelinuHfuscipennis Howard, 
a parasite that appears to be quite a general feeder, as it has been bred 
from at least half a dozen different kinds of scale-insects belonging to 
species which are protected by a shell or scale. Although occurring in 
such large numbers, still this parasite is not able to keep the scales in 
check. It doubtless breeds throughout the year, as I have bred speci- 
mens as late as the 10th of November. Although I have never bred 
any other kind of internal parasite from the San Jose Scale, still it 
would appear that other kinds attack it in the northern part of the 
State. On the 31st of March of the present year I received from E. 
M, Ehrhorn, of Santa Clara County, two different kinds of Chalcid 
flies for naming, and in the accompanying letter occurred the state- 
ment that both of these jjarasites had been bred from San Jose Scales. 
These parasites proved to be the Chalcid flies, known as Aphelimis 
mytUaHpidis Le B. and Coccoplutgus citr'mns Craw. 

It appears that certain conditions of the climate afiect these scales in 
an injurious manner, just as is the case with several other kinds of 
scale-insects. A few weeks ago Mr. C. H. Richardson, of Pasadena, 
one of the county inspectors of fruit pests, showed me several pear 
trees in that locality which a year ago were very thickly infested with 
these scales, as was evidenced by the gnarled appearance of the branches 
as well as by the dry scales still adhering to the trees. After a care- 
ful examination of these scales scarcely a live one could be found. Mr. 
Eichardson assured me that these trees had not been treated with any 



23 

kind of insecticide, and tliey certainly gave no evidence of sucli treat- 
ment. The dead scales showed no indications of having been destroyed 
by ladybirds nor yet by internal parasites. Wishing to ascertain if 
this singular mortality was general among these scales in other locali- 
ties, I examined several infested pear trees in this city, but found that 
the ffuit and new growth upon them were thickly infested with these 
scales, which were alive and to all appearance in a very thriving con- 
dition. It would appear, therefore, that this mortality among the San 
Jose Scales was entirely due to certain climatic iniluences, unless it 
can be shown to have been due to some low form of fungus growth. 

The remedy most extensively used in this State for the destruction 
of the San Jose Scale on dormant trees is the one containing lime, salt, 
and suli)liur, described in my annual rejjort to Prof. Kiley for the year 
1890 and published in Bulletin No. 23, Division of Entomology, of this 
Department (pp. 30 to 34). I there gave an account of a series of ex- 
periments which I had made with the above mentioned substances, 
both when used singly and also when used in various combinations, 
and expressed my intention of pursuing this subject still further the 
following winter with a view of improving upon the insecticidal proper- 
ties of the wash used at that time. Accordingly, on the 10th of Feb- 
ruary, 1891, I made a number of experiments with the above-mentioned 
ingredients, and give herewith a brief account of the principal ones: 

Experiment 260. — Snlplinr, 30 pounds; lime, 43 pounds; Avater sufficient to make 
100 gallons. The sulphur and lime were placed in the kettle together and water 
added; the whole was then boiled for two hours without first allowing the lime to 
slake; the solution did not assume an orange-yellow color as soon as in other experi- 
ments where the lime was first slaked before being boiled with the sulphur. Strained 
the solution and sprayed two pear trees with it at about 2:20 j). m. ; sun shining; 
light breeze. Examined these trees March 26 and found a great many living San 
Jos^ Scales upon them. 

Experiment 361. — Same as in the preceding experiment, except that before spray- 
ing it upon the trees I added 23 pounds of salt to the diluted solution and stirred it 
until the salt was dissolved, then sprayed a peach tree with it at about 2 o'clock in 
the afternoon. Examined this tree March 25 and found upon it many living San 
Jos6 Scales. Still, these were not as numerous as upon the trees treated in the pre- 
ceding experiment, where no salt had been used. 

Experiment 258. — Sulphur, 45 pounds; lime, 65 pounds, water sufficient to make 100 
gallons. The sulphur and lime were first placed in the kettle; water was then added 
and the lime allowed to slake, after which more water was added and the whole then 
boiled for two hours. At first the solution was of a pale yellow color, but it soon 
became dark orange yellow, assuming this color much sooner than was the case in 
experiment 260, where the lime was covered with water and boiled without first be- 
ing allowed to slake. The solution when properly diluted was strained and two 
apple trees were sprayed with it at about 2:40 p. m. I examined these trees March 
26, and found quite a large number of living San Josd Scales upon them. 

Experiment 259. — Same as in 258 except that when diluted ready for use I added 34 
pounds of salt to the solution and stirred it until dissolved, then sprayed a prune 
tree with it at 3 o'clock in the afternoon. I examined this tree March 26 and found 
a few living San Jos6 Scales upon it, much less than in experiment 258, or any of 
the preceding ones. 



24 

In experiments 258 and 200 the bisulphide of lime (CaSi) was 
formed, but this did not prove as destructive to the scale-insects 
sprayed with it as was the case where a certain amount of salt had 
been added to it. From this it would appear that the bisulphide does 
not of itself and alone constitute the insecticidal property of this wash ; 
at the same time, my previous experiments prove that salt alone simply 
dissolved in water possesses very little value as an insecticide. Still, 
when these two substances are combined, the resulting solution pos- 
sesses much greater insecticidal properties than does either of them 
when used separately. 

In making the above experiments I was aided in the mechanical part 
of the work by Mr. C. H. Richardson, of Pasadena, who kindly placed 
his infested fruit trees at my disijosal. 

The first rain which occurred after the above experiments were made 
began on the morning of February 15, and continued almost incessantly 
for the sj)ace of two days and one night. Two days later this was fol- 
lowed by a long continued rain. Since the solution was upon the trees 
for the space of about four days and five nights before the rain began, 
it would appear that it had sufficient time in which to act upon the 
scales before being washed off by the raiu, and that its effects upon the 
scales would have been about the same had no rain occurred for several 
months after the various solutions were applied to the trees. 

The wash used in experiment 2G1 is practically the same as the one 
in common use all over this State for tlie destruction of the San Jos6 
Scale on dormant deciduous trees. Still, as stated above, it did not 
prove fatal to all of the scales sprayed with it. Even when used one- 
half stronger than this, as it was in experiment 259, it did not destroy 
all of the scales sprayed with it. These and other experiments which 
I made with this wash during the past winter confirm the opinion ex- 
pressed in my preceding report, to the effect that this wash is not as 
effectual as the resin wash made one half stronger than when used on 
citrus trees. I have given a full account of this resin wash of the above 
strength on pages 27 to 30 of Bulletin No. 23, referred to above; so it 
will be unnecessary to more than give the formula in this place: 

Resin pouuds.. 30 

Caustic soda (70 per cent strong) do 9 

Fish oil pints.. 4^ 

Water, sufficient to make gallons 100 

This wash can only be used upon dormant trees. Owing to the fact 
that in some portions of the State the winter rains interfere to a great 
degree with the spraying of the trees at that season of the year, fre- 
quently rendering wholly ineffectual the labor of a whole day and mate- 
rially lessening the insecticidal effect of the wash used during the 
preceding week, it is the custom with some growers to confine their 
spraying operations entirely to the rainless summer season. At this 
season, of course, it would be impossible to use as strong a wash as 



25 

could be employed during tlie winter season, owing to the injury it would 
occasion to the foliage and blossoms or fruit. For the purpose of ascer- 
taining how strong a wash could be used on various kinds of deciduous 
fruit trees during the summer season, I made, a series of experiments 
with resin washes of various strengths on the 4th of September of the 
present year. I used a wash two-fifths and also one three-fifths as 
strong as in the formula given above; these I sprayed upon apple, 
pear, peach, and prune trees a short time before the noon hour, and at 
a time when the sun was shining brightly, but none of the leaves on 
an J" of these trees were injured even by the strongest wash. Only the 
apple trees contained any fi^uit, but this was not injured by the wash. 
The stronger wash is of the same strength as that commonly used for 
the destruction of various kinds of scale-insects upon citrus trees in 
the hottest part of the summer season, and the above experiments in- 
dicate that it can also be safely used ui3on growing deciduous trees. 

I also sprayed some of the stronger wash upon a rose bush, but the 
leaves on this bush were slightly injured by it; on these bushes, there- 
fore, it would be necessary to use a somewhat weaker wash. 

The Greedy Scale. 
(Aapidiotus rapax Comst.) 

This scale-insect received its name not from a voracious nature and 
consequent destructiveness, but rather from the fact that it infests such 
a great variety of different kinds of trees and plants. The following is 
a list of those upon which I have found fall-grown specimens of this 
species : 

Apple, Pear, Loquat, Myosporum, Birch, English Laurel, Maple, Sil- 
vertree from South Africa {Leucadendron argenteum), Rhamnus croceus, 
California Walnut {Juglans californicus)^ English Holly, Fuchsia, Cot- 
tonwood, Camellias from Japan, also on oranges and lemons. 

The last two fruits sometimes become very thickly infested with these 
scales, but this seldom happens, except in the case of those allowed to 
remain on the trees for several months after they are ripe ; in such 
cases I have never found one of these scales upon any other portion of 
the tree. 

This insect was evidently imported into this State from some other 
country, although I can not find any reference to it in foreign countries 
in any work to which I have access. It is possible, however, that this 
is the same insect previously described by Boisduval under the name 
of Kermes cameUlce, and which has been referred to the genus Aspidiotus 
by later authors. This latter species also infests Camellias, Euonymus, 
and various other kinds of ornamental shrubs and trees in Europe, New 
Zealand, and perhaps also in other countries. 



26 

The Soft ok Bkowx Scalk. 
(Lecan'ntni heHperidum Linn.) 

This is perbai)S the luo.st coimiioii and widely distributed of the scjile- 
insects, being found in the four quarters of the globe, and although not 
infrequently occurring in large numbers, still 1 have never known of a 
single instance where a tree or plant has ever been destroyed by it. 
Its general effect is to weaken or stunt the infested plant and to ren- 
der it black and unsightly by reason of the black fungus which always 
acconq»anies its attacks. 

This scale-insect is quite a general feeder, infesting wild trees and 
plants as well as cultivated ones. I have found full-grown specimens 
on the following trees and plants : 

Lombardy Poplar, Grape, Loquat, Rubber Tree {Ficus macrophylla), 
Ash, Euonymus, Maple {Acer dasycarpum), Rhamnns crocea, Heteromeles 
arhutifoUa, Rhus integrifolia, Pepper Tree {Schimts moUe), Willow, Apri- 
cot, Citrus trees. Fig, Locust, English Ivy, English Holly, Rose, Calla 
Lily, Oleander, and Pittosporum. It infests the leaves and green bark, 
but is very seldom found upon the fruit. 

This species brings forth its young alive, although when first ex- 
cluded they are still enveloped in a very thin sac, which in a short 
time is cast off. They remain for several days beneath the parent and 
then start out for themselves. The greatest number of larva? and 
pseudo-ova that I ever found at one time beneath a scale of this spe- 
cies was twenty-four, of which number twenty-one or twenty two were 
fully developed young ones. This was in the month of May, and dur- 
ing the same month I repeatedly found from eighteen to twenty of these 
larv* beneath an adult scale. 

This species is very subject to the attacks of internal parasites, of 
which no less than five different kinds are known to attack it in this 
country alone. Of this number I have bred Emyrtus jiamis Howard, 
and Coccophagiis lecanii Fitch from si)ecimeus of this scale-insect col- 
lected in this city. The Encyrtus attacks principally the larger scales, 
each of which frequently contains three or four of the parasites lying 
transversely to the longest diameter of the scale, and readily distin- 
guishable by their lighter yellow color. On the other hand, the Cocco- 
phagus principally attacks the younger scales, only one of the parasites 
infesting a single scale, which it causes to swell up and assume a black- 
ish color. I have frequently found whole colonies of these scales every 
member of which had been destroyed by one or the other of these i)ar- 
asites. 

On the 11th of October, 1890, I collected several of these parasitized 
scales, all of which had been killed by having been subjected to the 
treatment with hydrocyanic-acid gas referred to in the chapter on the 
Red Scale, and three days later an apparently healthy specimen of Coc- 
cophagus lecanii issued from one of them. This parasite being in the 



27 

pupa state at the time its liost was subjected to the poisonous gas, was 
not aftected by the gas to the same degree it would have been if in the 
perfect or adult state, since I have repeatedly proven it to be a fact that 
larvae and pui>ie of insects are not affected by this gas to the same de- 
gree that the adult insects are. At the same time, when a scale is in- 
vested with one of these parasites and is sprayed with a resin wash 
sufficiently strong to kill the scale, this also proves fatal to the included 
parasite. This is one of the many advantages which the gas treatment 
possesses over any kind of a wash for destroying scale-insects. 

Besides the gas treatment and the resin wash, both of which are re- 
ferred to above in the article treating of the Eed Scale, another remedy, 
which has the advantage of being very simple and nearly always at 
hand, consists of spraying the trees with a solution of common brown 
laundry soap — 1 pound dissolved in 3 gallons of water. I have seen all 
of these scales on small orange trees entirely destroyed by a single ap- 
plication of this remedy. 

The Hemispherical Scale. 
(Lecanium hemisplKericum Taig-Tozz.) 

My collection contains three different forms of Lecanium which are 
here commonly known under the name of L. hemispJuericum. The 
largest individuals of the largest form measure 5™™ long by 4 wide 
and 3 high; these I have found upon pear and orange trees, and also on 
Sycamore {Plato nvs racemosus), Wild Lilac {C'eanofhus diraricatus) and 
on California HoUy {Ueteromeles arhuti/oUa). The largest individuals 
of the medium form measure only 3^""" long by 3 wide and 2 high; 
these I have found only on orange trees. The third and smallest form 
Ihave found only upon the Hare's-foot Fern {l)avaUlacanan€nsis),w}ieTe 
they occurred in such large numbers as to kill the plant infested by 
them. The largest individuals measured only 3'"'" long by 2 wide and 
li high. The largest form is evidently the Lecanium Mbernaculorum of 
Boisduval (originally described as a Ohermes), since it agrees very well 
with che description of this species given in The JEntomologisfs Monthly 
Magazine, Vol. xxii, j). 78. This description is by Dr. J. W. Douglas, Avho 
has made this group of insects his special study, and who had before him 
specimens identified by Dr. Signoret, the highest authority upon scale- 
insects. The medium form found upon orange trees is evidently the 
true hemisphcericiwi, while the smallest one is just as certainly the Le- 
canium filicum of Boisduval (also originally described as a Ohermes). 
Mr. Maskell, of New Zealand, another well-known authority upon scale- 
insects, considers hemisphiericum and Jilicum as belonging to one and 
the same species, and is inclined to consider Mbernaculorum as being 
only a larger variety of the above species ; it is very doubtful, however, 
that he had the true hihernaculorum before him when making his ob- 
servation, since the measurement he gives (one-ninth of an inch in di- 



28 

ameter, being less than S™") is much too small for my specimens and 
those described by Dr. Douglas. The latter author considers these 
three froms as belonging to three distinct species. The specimens in 
my own collections indicate that hibernaculorum is undoubtedly distinct 
from the other two forms, being larger, destitute of distinct lateral ca- 
rina, and the flattened margin is much narrower than in either of the 
other forms. I incline to the belief, with Maskell, that hemisphcericum 
and Jilicum are but forms of one species, but to settle this point defi- 
nitely it would be necessary to compare the larvse of these various forms 
which as yet I have not had the opportunity of doing. Neither of these 
three forms are at all common in this portion of the State. 

The Black Scaxe. 
{Leeanium olece Bern.) 

This scale-insect is widely distributed, being found in nearly every 
portion of the civilized world, living in greenhouses in the colder coun- 
tries and in the open air in the Avarmer climates. It is not so destruc- 
tive to plants as some of the other species are, and I have never known 
of a single instance where a tree or plant has been killed by them, al- 
though they sometimes occur upon certain trees in immense numbers. 
The injury caused by them is seen in a general weakening of the entire 
tree, which, if badly infested, is rendered unsightly by reason of the 
black fungus which exists upon the liquid exudations of these insects. 

Citrus trees are very subject to the attacks of these scales, and the 
fruit of trees infested by them is rendered so unattractive in appear- 
ance on account of the black fungus above referred to that its market 
value is much less than it otherwise would be. Among deciduous trees 
the Olive and Apricot appear to be more subject to the attacks of these 
scales than any of the other kinds. The Black Scale, however, does 
not appear to be very particular as to the kind of plants upon which to 
gain a sustenance, as will be seen by reference to the following list of 
plants and trees upon which I have found full-grown specimens of this 
scale- insect: 

Citrus trees. Lombardy Poplar. 

Apricot. Myosporum. 

Almond. Melaleuca purpurea. 

Sycamore. English Laurel. 

Rhus integrifolia. English Holly. 

Heteromeles arbutifolia. Beech. 

Oleander. Ash. 

Baccharis viminalis. Acer dasycarpum. 

Ficus macrophylla. Rhanmus crocea. 

Hahrothamnus elegans. Pepper Tree. 

Guava. Grevillea robusta. 

Irish Juniper. Hgustrum japonicum. 



29 

Indian Cedar. Sonchus oleraceus. 

Cedar of Lebanon. Cycas revoluta. 

Euonymns. Artemisia californica. 

Red Pepper. Solarium douglasii. 

Castor Bean. Abutilon. 

Qnite a large number of these plants and trees in this list are wild 
ones, and in several instances they were situated several miles from 
cultivated plants of any kind. There can be little room for doubting 
that in these instances the scales were carried to them by birds which 
had visited the infested cultivated plants, and afterwards flown to and 
alighted upon the wild ones. 

The observations which I have made upon these scales indicate that 
there is but a single generation produced each year. I give herewith 
my notes upon this subject as I find them recorded in my note books; 
these notes cover a period of several years, but were mostly made in 
Los Angeles County. 

February 4. — Found a great many empty scales of Lecanium olew on orange trees 
on the green twigs near the terminal ends of the branches ; also found a great many 
young ones from 1 to H mna. long, some of which show the dorsal and two transverse 
carinae quite distinctly. 

February 8. — Found several Lecanium olece about one-half grown on Bacoharis vimi- 
nalis. 

February 10. — Found empty scales and a great many young of Lecanium olem on an 
Oleander. 

March, 11. — In an extended search for the eggs of the Black Scale today none were 
found. 

March SO. — Found Black Scales about one-third grown on Indian Cedar and Cedar 
of Lebanon. 

March 31. — Found several eggs of the Black Scale. 

April 1. — Found a living Black Scale, beneath which were about fifty eggs, the first 
I have found this year; found no other eggs of this species after an extended search, 
the majority of the scales being not more than half grown. 

April 3. — Fonnd a Black Scale, beneath which were about a dozen eggs, but the 
most of the other specimens were not yet fully grown. 

April 16. — Found a few eggs of the Black Scale. 

May 21. — Eggs of the Black Scale just beginning to hatch. 

June 2. — The Black Scales have deposited from one-third to one-half of their etr^s. 

June 3. — Beneath the largest Lecanium olcoi I could find on an orange tree were a 
trifle over 2,200 eggs and young larvae. 

June 22. — Received many Black Scales on Oleander from Santa Clara County ; they 
were from one-half to fully grown, and several of the latter individuals covered 
eggs. 

August 10. — Under some adult Black Scales all of the eggs have hatched out, 
while beneath others from one-sixth to one-third of the eggs are still unhatched. 

September 22. — Found no eggs of the Black Scale after an extended search. 

These observations were made upon scales living in the open air, and 
indicate that the greater number of the eggs are deposited during the 
months of May and June, although a few may be found as early as the 
last week in March and as late as the first week in September ; outside 
of this period but few eggs of this species will be found. Although thia 



30 

species is quite generally known as the Black Scale, still this term is 
an evident misnomer, at least as far as some specimens of this scale are 
concerned. On the 16th of April, 1890, Mr. F. O. Cass, of this city, 
bronght me several leaves and twigs of Oleander upon which (para- 
doxical as this may seem) were three Black Scales of a uniform white 
color; some of the other scales were dark brown, while the remaining 
ones were of the normal brownish-black color. I submitted them to 
Prof. Riley, and under date of April 23, 1890, he wrote me as follows 
in regard to them : 

I have received a box containing white "Black Scale." I feel sure that this is 
Lecanium olece, but do not recollect that I have seen anything like it before. It is 
more probably to be accounted for as a case of albinism, which is the only case I 
know of in Coccids. Lecanium does not molt in this way. 

I have never observed this characteristic in any other kind of scale- 
insect, and it appears to be of rare occurrence among the individuals 
of the present species. 

The young of Black Scale after issuing from the eggs usually remain 
beneath the body of the parent for several hours, finally crawling out 
and taking up a x>osition on some other portion of the plant; they do 
not settle down in one place permanently, but change about as circum- 
stances may make it necessary. I have seen half-grown individuals 
thus crawling about. As a rule they infest only the leaves and bark; 
only in rare instances do they attack the fruit. The eggs first laid are 
hatched out before the last e^gg is deposited, and thus the processes of 
deposition and hatching proceed simultaneously until the last egg 
has been deposited. The number of eggs deposited by a single female 
is simply enormous; as stated above, I counted beneath one of them 
over 2,200 eggs and young larvae, all of which were undoubtedly the 
progeny of this female. 

Among the insect enemies of the Black Scale may be mentioned the 
Twice-stabbed Ladybird {Chilocorus bivulnerus Muls.), the larva of 
which I have repeatedly caught in the act of feeding upon these scales. 
I have also seen the larva of the Tineid moth, BJastobasifs iccrycvcUa Riley, 
feeding upon these scales. I find by reference to my note book that on 
the 11th of March, 1887, I found a larva of this species beneath three 
empty full-grown Black Scales on an olive tree; this I transferred to 
one of my breeding cages, in which 1 placed a branch of an olive tree 
upon which were Black Scales of all sizes. A few days later 1 examined 
this cage and found that the larva had spun a thin, loose silken web 
over some of the Black Scales and had partially devoured several of the 
half-grown ones. This larva had changed to a chrysalis when examined 
on the 4th of May following and the moth issued May 28. A full de- 
scription of this insect will be found in the Annual Report of this De- 
partment for 1886 (pp. 484-486), and a figure of the moth is also given 
at Fig. 3, PI. Ill, of the above-mentioned report. 

By far the most effectual destroyer of the Black Scale, however, is a 



31 

small, four-winged Chalcid fly known as DilopJiogasfer caUfornica 
Howard. A description and figures of both the male and female of 
this useful parasite will be found in the Annual Report of this Depart- 
ment for the year 1880, p. 368, and PI. xxiv, Figs. 3 and 4. The name 
Tomocera,' under which this insect was described in the above-men- 
tioned report, was found to have been previously used for another group 
of insects belonging to the order Thysanura, and the name Dilophogas- 
ter was therefore substituted for it. I have quite frequently found 
orange trees upon which fully 80 per cent of the adult Black Scales 
had been destroyed by these parasites. I find by reference to my note 
book that I bred parasites of this kind on the 14th and again on the 
27tli of June from Black Scales collected on the 2oth of the preceding- 
April ; and that on the 22d of September I found a full-grown larva 
of this paiasite under an adult Black Scale. I also captured specimens 
of this Chalcid on the following dates : January 17, July 2, August 31, 
September 21, and October 12. This would seem to indicate that at 
least two and perhaps even three generations of these parasites are 
produced in one year. 

It is to be regretted that these useful parasites sometimes fall a prey 
to other insects, but such is the case. I find by reference to my note 
book that on the 21st of September I saw a larva of a slender greenish 
bug known as Diplodus renardii Hoi. engaged in feeding upon one of 
these parasites ; the beak of the larva was inserted into the body of the 
Chalcid fly and the juices of the latter had been nearly extracted by 
the voracious captor. Fortunately, these predaceous insects are not 
abundant. I have occasionally seen them preying upon other kinds of 
Chalcid flies besides the Dilophogasters; on the 1st of September I 
captured one of the adults which had its beak inserted into a Perilam- 
pns sp., one of the Chalcid parasites of the Lace- wing referred to above 
in the chapter treating of the Red Scale; the Diplodus held the Chalcid 
beneath his front feet, somewhat as a dog holds a bone while gnawing 
it. I have occasionally found the square or roundish egg masses of this 
Diplodus attached to the upper surface of the leaves of orange trees; 
each mass contains from thirty to forty eggs which are regularly ar- 
ranged in rows, the eggs in one row alternating with those on either 
side of it. Each individual egg is nearly cylindrical in form, of a honey- 
brown color, except the top, which is white, and near its center is a 
small puncture as if made with the point of a needle. The mass is 
fastened to the leaf by a very sticky substance, which, however, does 
not hold it firmly, and the egg mass may be easily removed from the 
leaf with the thumb and fingers of one hand. The adult Diplodus 
measures nearly half an inch in length, is rather slender, and of a 
yellowish-green color variously marked with black and yellow. 

Notwithstanding the immense numbers of Black Scales and their 
eggs which are annually destroyed by the Dilophogasters, still these 
scales frequently become so abundant as to render it necessary to em- 



32 

ploy artificial means in order to rid the trees of these pests. For this 
purpose the treatment with hydrocyanic-acid gas and the resin wash, 
both of which are referred to above in the articles treating of the Red 
Scale, are also employed for the purpose of destroying the Black Scale. 
The gas treatment proves fatal to the scales, but does not destroy all 
of the eggs. The resin wash destroys the gTeater number of the eggs 
and also of the younger scales that it reaches, but it does not always 
destroy the larger individuals. On the 6th of November, 1890, I had 
eleven olive trees sprayed with the resin wash made according to the 
following formula: 

Resin pounds.. 18 

Caustic soda (70 per cent strong) do 5 

Fish oil pints.. 2^ 

Water, sufficient to make gallons.. 100 

The Black Scales infesting these trees were less than one-third grown. 
I examined them on the 13th of December, and found that nearly all 
of the scales were dead, those still alive having to all appearance es- 
caped being sprayed with the wash; the leaves and fruit upon these 
trees had not in the least been injured by the wash. 

On the 22dof September of the above-named year I sprayed a small 
olive tree with a wash made in accordance with the above formula, and 
after carefully examining the Black Scales upon it on the 21st of the 
following month I found only a single living scale, while the leaves on 
the tree were uninjured. On the Gth of January of the present year I 
was shown an Abutilon plant thickly infested with Black Scales, and 
was informed that it had been quite recently sprayed with a wash 
practicary the same as that described above; still quite a large per- 
centage of the oldest scales had not been destroyed by the wash. It 
would therefore be advisable to spray the trees at a time when the 
scales are very young; this period in ordinary seasons extends from 
about the first of October to the beginning of the new year. 

In place of the above wash, some of our fruit growers use one which 
contains no fish oil, being composed simply of resin, caustic soda, and 
water. This, besides being cheaper than the preceding wash, is also 
less troublesome to make, and while it is not so effectual as the former 
wash, still it proves fatal to a large percentage of the younger Black 
Scales. One of my correspondents, Mr. C. B. Messenger, of Pomona, 
in a letter to me bearing date of March 31, 1890, gives his experience 
with a wash of this kind as follows: 

Last year some of the trees I sprayed in midsummer with a wash consisting of resin, 
25 pounds; caustic soda, 6 pounds, in 100 gallons orthe wash, were almost perfectly 
cleaned of Black Scales, hut I now find that the fruit, or rather a small portion of it, 
■was made unsalable by the solution giving the oranges a russety appearance. Some- 
times the whole orange is thus affected, hut usually only in streaks where the solu- 
tion collected and ran around to the underside, where it was the worst. The spray- 
ing did not act in the same way on the frnit in the other orchards, although the 
same strength of wash was used througliont tlie season. The present work was fol- 
lowed by very hot weather. Was this the cause of it? 



33 

I have often noticed, and in my writings have frequently called at- 
tention to the fact, that when used in very hot weather all washes arc 
more liable to injure the tree or fruit than would be the case if used in 
cooler weather. For use on bearing citrus trees in very hot weather 
no wash should contain over 5 pounds of 70 per cent caustic soda in 
100 gallons of the wash ; if a greater quantity than this is used at such 
times tliere is great danger of marking the fruit in the manner above 
described. When only resin and caustic soda are to be used, 5 pounds 
of the latter and 18 pounds of the former in 100 gallons of the wash is 
as much as should be used in very hot weather on bearing citrus trees. 
I have never known of a single instance where a wash of this strength 
has marked the fruit even when used in the very hottest part of the 
summer season. 

It is interesting to note that the wash used by Mr. Messenger is pre- 
cisely the same as the one I used on the 7th of August, 1889, in my 
experiments 199 and 200, an account of which I gave on page 15 of 
Bulletin 22, referred to above. I there recorded the fact that the wash 
had produced rusty, brownish spots upon the young oranges, just as 
Mr. Messenger also found that it would do. 

In traveliug about over the southern portion of the State I have 
frequently noticed that the Black Scale thrives best near the coast, 
and that in the liot, dry interior valleys a large percentage of them are 
destroyed by the extreme heat. Even in localities not far from the 
coast, large numbers of the younger scales perish during the excessively 
hot weather that sometimes occurs during the months of July and Aug- 
ust. In fact, in almost any locality these scales will be found in the 
greatest numbers upon trees having a dense foliage, or which are so 
situated as to be more or less shaded from the direct rays of the sun. 
For this reason a judicious use of the pruning knife will accomplish 
much in the way of preventing trees from becoming unduly infested 
witli these scales, while at the same time it will cause the tree to be in 
a better condition for being treated with artificial remedies. 

The Frosted Scale. 
(Lecanium pruinosum Coq.) 

Since writing up the account of this species which appeared in In- 
sect Life, vol. iii, pp. 382-384 I have made but few additional notes 
on this species. One new food-plant must be added to the list given 
in the above-mentioned account; this is the common Cork Elm, quite 
largely grown for ornamental purposes, especially in the northern part 
of the State. On the 24th of May I received twigs of this tree thickly 
infested with Frosted Scales ; these were sent by Mr. G. W. Harney, 
President of the Yuba County Horticultural Commission; and during 
a recent visit to Marysville Mr. Harney showed me the original tree 
from which these scales had been taken. Several of the branches on 
21382— No. 26 3 



34 

this tree were very thickly iufcsted l)y ihv scah's, indicnting' that the 
tree is jx'rf'ectly coiiiieniiil to their tastes and requirements. 

In the above-mentioned account I stated the fact tliat at that time 
no insect was known to attack these scales, but since this was written 
1 have bred from tliem nuiiuTous specimens of a small Chalcid fly, 
known as Coccophdj/us Iccami Fitch. These attack only the younger 
scales, and only one of the parasites infests each scale, causing the lat- 
ter to assume a more convex, much smoother form than when not para- 
sitized, and the entire upper portion of the parasitized scale becomes 

black. 

The Buown Apricot Scale. 

{Lccanium sp.) 

In the Santa Olara Valley, south of San Francisco, occurs a species 
of Lecanium which is sometimes very destructive to various kinds of 
deciduous trees. On the 21st of March of the i^resent year I received 
specimens of these scales from Mr. F. M. Eighter, an extensive grower 
of deciduous fruits located in the above-mentioned valley. The scales 
were of two sizes, representing two different generations, the old dead 
and dry females and the nearly half-grown young ones. A careful ex- 
amination of these specimens convinced me that while they were evi- 
dently closely related to the Frosted Scale of the preceding chapter, 
still they evidently belonged to a distinct species. The more marked 
differences consisted in the smaller size of the adidt females, the fact 
that they never became covered with a whitish powder, and the further 
fact that the younger ones are destitute of the submarginal row of long- 
bristles which occur in the young of the Frosted Scale. 

In the letter which accompanied these specimens Mr. Eighter writes 
as follows concerning them : 

I send yoii by today's mail specimens of tlie Brown Aiiricot Scale, so called, not- 
■witlistanding they infest prune trees as much or more than apricot. They are also 
found on peach, pear, apple, and cherry, hut princi})ally on apricot and prune. 
* * * I think they are not the same as the Brown Scale you mention; they are 
never covered with a white powder. 

Thinking that perhaps the submarginal bristles may have existed in 
jierfect specimens of the young scales but had been accidently broken 
off of the si^ecimens sent me through the mails, I requested Mr. Eighter 
to examine the young scales fresh from the tree and ascertain if these 
submarginal bristles existed upon them; and under date of Aj)ril 18, 
1891, he writes me as follows: 

I have a microscope of very high magnifying power, and have carefully examined 
both the young and the full-grown scales, and find that neither of them are pro- 
vided with bristles around the edge of the body. Nor can I find any as large as you 
mention, i. e., seven twenty-fifths of an inch in length; the largest I can find meas- 
ure seven thirty-seconds of an inch in length. 

Again, under date of May 12, he writes as follows: 

The Brown Apricot Scale seems to have completed its work. Its eggs are laid, 
and it is seemingly wholly inactive. 



35 

The lar|;est adult specimens received from Mr. Righter are 4™'" long 
by 3 wide and If liigli, and the smallest adnlt specimens are 3""" long, 
2 wide, and 1 high; the color is a light yellowish brown, the outline oval, 
narrowing anteriorly; the sides are rugose and transversely carinate, 
the dor.suin much smoother, and with indications of a medium carina 
most distinct anteriorly; the edges are thin and spread out. 

My library contains references to upwards of fifty descriptions of as 
many difterent kinds of Lecanium, and it is quite impossible to decide 
to which of these numerous species the Brown Apricot Scale belongs. 

As a remedy, the stronger resin wash described in the chapter on 
the San Jose Scale will doubtless be found effectual when used against 
the present species; it should only be used while the trees are dor- 
mant, and at that time none but the younger scales Avill l)e found alive, 
there being but a single generation each year. Common brown laun- 
dry soap, 1 pound dissolved in 3 gallons of water, will doubtless prove 
fatal to these scales, as I have known it to do when applied to the com- 
mon soft Brown Scale. 

THYMO-CRESOL AS AN INSECTICIDE. 

Some time during the past summer I received a can of thymo cresol 
for experimental purposes. No opportunity occurred for testing this 
insecticide until on the 4th of September, at which date I sprayed some 
of the diluted liquid on an orange tree infested with the Yellow Scale 
{Aspidiotus citrinus) and with the Soft Scale {Lecanium liesperiduni). 
I used it in the proportions of 1 gallon to 1,000 gallons, and also to 2,000 
gallons, of the wash, these being the proportions recommended for de- 
stroying scale insects on orange trees as given in the circular which 
accompanied the can of insecticide. The weaker wash did not prove 
fatal to a very large percentage of the scales, but the stronger one de- 
stroyed about 1)0 per cent of them ; there were very few of the soft scales 
on this tree, but all of them were destroyed by the wash, while the 
fruit and leaves were not injured. In the printed directions it is rec- 
ommended to vsyringe the trees with pure water fifteen minutes after 
applying the wash, but this I did not do, since it would occasion too 
much labor to carry ont this plan in the case of large orange groves. 

According to a schedule of prices which accompanied the can, a 
3-gallon can of the thymo cresol costs $5.25; at this rate, each gallon of 
the stronger wash used above would cost somewhat less than one-fifth 
of a cent per gallon, which would make this an extremely cheap insecti- 
cide. 

In the printed directions it is recommended to make three applications 
of this wash, at intervals of eight or nine days, each application to be 
followed by a spraying with pure water fifteen minutes after the appli- 
cation is made; this plan might be followed in regard to a few plants 
or small trees, but it is altogether too expensive for adopting in the 
case of large orange groves. 




r 



J 



ENTOMOLOGICAL NOTES FOE THE SEASON OF 1891. 



By Mary E. Mdrtfebw] 




LETTER OI-" SUBMHTAL 



KiRKAVOOD, Mo., Oclolrrol, 1SDJ. 
SiK : I herewith inclose a record of some of my observations and experiments for the 
past year relatint*- to economic entomology. "^ - 

Respectfully yours, 

Mary E. Mujitfkldt. 
Dr. C. V. Riley, 

Eniomologist, 

U. S. Department of A gricuUwre. 



Taking one locality with another, this State may be said to have 
suffered less from the ravages of insects during- the season of 1891 than 
for many years previous. The climatic conditions fiom early spring 
until tlie middle of August, a period covering the growing season of the 
most imi)ortant crops, was exceedingly favorable to the i)erfection of 
vegetation. As a consequence, the yield of grain, hay, fruits, and many 
sorts of vegetables has been abundant and the quality unsurpassed. 

In certain localities there were irruptions of injurious insects which 
for a time caused anxiety, but these were, as a rule, over limited areas, 
and the aggregate of loss occasioned by them was less than had been 
anticipated. 

The most annoying pests of the spring and early summer were Aphi- 
dida3 of numerous species. The punctures of the fruit-infesting forms 
produced on the new growth of grapes, peaches, and plums consider- 
able blight and deformity. 

The Woolly Aj)his of the Apple {i^cluzoneura Janigera) is an almost 
invincible enemy of young orchards in some sections of the State, es- 
pecially on gravelly soils. On such specimens of diseased roots as were 
sent to me I could iind no trace of parasites or other natural enemies. 
Drenching with strong, hot soapsuds was recommended, and was re- 
ported as quite successful in checking the work of the insect, but in 
some of the orchards the roots were so warty and diseased that recupera- 
36 



tioii was iiu])()ssib».', and uprootiul^ind burnino^ tlie trees seemed the 
only advisable plali to pursue, t \ 

The Grain Ai)hiA {8iphono2)hor^avenw) was sent to nie from several 
localities, but its appearance was m- no means general, and the oat crop, 
which in Missouri suffers most Irom this insect, was good in almost all 
parts of the State. 

The Chinch Bug- {BKssus leucopterus) ap])eared in considerable num- 
bers in the western and southwestern parts of the State, tirst on wheat, 
which it t],id not materially injure, and .later on corn, some fields of 
which were seriously damaged. The dissemination of the germs of so- 
called '^chinch-bug cholera," by Prof. Snow, of Kansas, and Prof. 
Forbes, of Illinois, was actively carried on, and the confidence of farmers 
in this natural remedy for the most serious pest of their grain fields was 
proved by the extent of the demand for the diseased bugs. Probably 
not all made use of the latter in a way to accomplish the ridding of their 
fields of the bugs, but so far as I have been able to learn a very encour- 
aging measure of success attended the introduction of the disease germs 
into infested wheat and corn fields. 

The Joint-worm {Isosoma ffrande Eiley) appeared in several sections 
of the State al)out the first of June and excited much apprehension for 
the safety ot the wheat croj). In the samples of grain sent me the larvae 
were invariably working in the heads, then just in bloom. None were 
found in any of the lower joints. Infested heads were, of course, utterly 
destroyed, as from three to six worms were often found in one head. 
Mr. J. F. lies, of Lexington, found about 80 per cent of the heads 
injured in a certain field, and anticipated the loss of his crop, but later 
he informed me that the damage was mainly confined to a portion of a 
field that had been planted on wheat stubble of the ])revious year. 
The specimens reared from larvae sent me were all females, and but one 
head contained pupa? thiit had the appearance of being parasitized, but 
I was not able to obtain the flies of the latter. 

The Plum Curculio [Conotraehelus nenuphar). — Notwithstanding the 
almost total failure in this locality of all cultivated and most of the 
native stone fruits, for the two preceding years, this hardy and adapt- 
ive insect presented itself this season in sufticient numbers to inflict 
considerable damage upon the sweet cherries, early plums, and free- 
stone peaches. On the latter, however, its work was not disastrous, 
and the later varieties escaped with very few punctures. The fruit 
that tided it over last year was probably the Wild Black Cherry {Fru- 
nus serotina) and iJossibly some of the pip fruits, although I have never 
reared it from any of the latter. I have, however, repeatedly bred it 
from larvai in gooseberries. 

The Harlequin Cabbage Bug {Murgantia histrionica) was not only 
unusually destructive to cabbage, cauliflower, and other cultivated 
Cruciferic, but in the southern counties attacked beans, peas, and sev- 
eral other sorts of vegetables. This pest seems to be steadily advanc- 



38 

h\g nortlnvard and lias now readied about fhe middle of the State, 
having been sent to me from Phelps, Washington, and Boone counties. 
The mature bugs are long-lived, and my correspondents claim that 
eggs, young larv», nymplia?, and peifec;t insects are contemporaneous 
throughout the season, and that wherever they abounded the cabbage 
crop was almost, or quite, a failure. With a view to test insecticides 
upon them, I obtained in July, from Phillipsburg and elsewhere, several 
lots of the mature insects. Many of these had deposited their beauti- 
ful egg-clusters in the boxes by the time they reached me. There was 
considerable variation in the intensity of the markings of these eggs, 
some being very dark, while others had the black lines but faintly in- 
dicated, and one set of about a dozen was entirely pearl white. The 
young bugs hatched in the course of two or three days, emerging 
through the lids of the little " barrels," which were lifted on one edge, 
the shell retaining its form and ornamentation after giving up its in- 
mate. 

Part of the young bugs were transferred to plants in the garden con- 
fined under wire screens, while others were retained in the breeding 
cages. 

The insecticides experimented with were X. O. dust and Pyrethrum, 
neither of which made much imjiression, and arsenites of ammonia in 
the proportions of two tablespoonfuls to a gallon of water. This killed 
some of the young bugs, but also severely burned the plants, and 
would not, in any case, be safe to use on such a vegetable as cabbage. 
Kerosene emulsion killed the young bugs but did not affect those that 
were full-grown. Thymo-cresol — one part to thirty of water — a very 
strong solution, was also of no avail. Hot water was then used, taken 
boiling from the range, carried about 100 yards to the garden, trans- 
ferred to the sprinkling can and immediately applied to the infested 
Xdants. The temi)erature was not taken, but it could not have been 
nuich below 150° Fahr. The plants were but slightly wilted, and the 
bugs were all killed. In this experience all my correspondents who 
have tried the remedy concur. The only difticulty is to bring this, or 
any other application in contact with all the insects, as they seem to pre- 
ferfeeding on the undersides of the leaves. But if the drenching with hot 
water be supplemented by careful hand-picking, two or three times 
during the season, tlu; pest may be temporarily eradicated. 

Ckitworms this season gave far less trouble than usual. I am con- 
vinced that warm, wet winters do not agree a\ ith them. Nepln'Iodes 
violans was the only abundant species. This was found in hay fields 
eating the stalks and blades of timothy grass. 

Orsodachna atmAlir. — This Chrysomelid was observed early in April, 
on the grounds of a neighbor, swarming on the blossoms of the peach. 
It would crowd into the unfolding buils, tear open the anthers, and 
devour the pollen proceeding from blossom to blossom with great ra- 
pidity, destroying every anther in its i)rogress. In their haste and 



39 

gTeert these beetles would nceiiiniilate coiislderable pollen oiitlieii' lieads 
and fore tarsi, and it is probable that sonu' of this was bron^ht in con- 
tact with the stigmas, but there was every reason to fear that they would 
devour the lion's share of the golden grains and that the ovules would 
not receive enough to fertilize them. A few days later I found a con- 
siderable number of the same beetles at Avork on an isolated tree on our 
own i)lace, and as the variety of peach was not very choice, it afforded 
a good opportunity to test the result of the insect attack. They were 
accordingly suffered to cut as many anthers as they would. As a 
matter of fact, this tree, though young, vigorous, and favorably situated, 
and covered with blossoms in the spring, bore very little fruit, while 
others of the same variety, on which Orsodachna had not been seen, 
l^roduced abundantly. Should it become a pest in future years, its 
habit of dropping to the ground when disturbed would enable fruit- 
growers to destroy it by jarring it down upon cloths or trays moistened 
with kerosene. 

The Cottony Maple Scale {Pulvinaria innumcrahiUs). — The vanguard 
of the hosts of this pernicious Coccid appeared again in St. Louis dur- 
ing the past summer upon the trunks and branches of various trees 
and shrubs in the parks, and in many private grounds, and unless 
timely attention is given to the matter it will next year prove as annoy- 
ing and destructive as it was six or seven years ago. 

The Post Oak Coccid {Chermes sp?). — The clusters of globular female 
scales of this insect were to be found in the axils of almost every twig 
and leaf of the Post Oak ( Q. ohtusiloha) during the past summer. These, 
in connection with an undetermined fungous disease, produced a re- 
markable blighting of the new growth, and in a number of cases seemed 
to be the cause of the death of the tree. So noticeable was the effect 
in the forests around Kirkwood that many people contended that it 
was " locust year," and wondered why we had not noted the shrilling 
of the Cicada. It was with difficulty that I could make them believe 
the contrary. 

My attention was not attracted to this insect sufficiently early in the 
season to enable me to observe its development, and at present the 
scales contain only a mass of empty shells or skins. No guest insects 
were bred from them during the season. 

The White-marked Tussuck-moth {Orgyia leucostigma). — Thelarvoe of 
this insect were very destructive to the foliage of Willow, Walnut, Chest- 
nut, Maple, and some other shade trees of the streets and parks of St. 
Louis, as well as to Apple and Plum in private grounds, but I noted in 
it a habit which will (or might) enable those suffering from its ravages 
to destroy a large proportion of the eggs, namely, the trapping of a 
great number of the caterpillars as they were seeking a hiding j)lace 
in which to spin, by the cotton bands with which so many of the trees 
that shade the sidewalks are encircled. Some of these bands that I 
have examined have been quite crowded with the chrysalids and egg- 



40 

masses of tlie insect, aud, if removed and burned before spring, will 
certainly prevent the development of myriads of the pest. From young 
larvfe sent to me last spring I reared several parasites {Limneria flavi- 
cincta., Ashm.), but these were not sufficiently numerous to materially 
reduce the numbers of the host insect. If the infested trees be sprayed 
with Paris green, in the proportion of 1 pound to 300 gallons of 
water, or a very dilute solution of arsenites of ammonia, 1 pint to 100 
gallons of water, the insects will be killed without injury to the foliage 
of any tree. 

Chamyris cerintha Treat. — The singular larvae of this beautiful moth 
were taken this summer feeding on the foliage of the Damson Plum.' 
They devour the leaf on both sides to the mid-rib, leaving the latter. 
I think thej^ have not heretofore been recorded among insects that dep- 
redate on the foliage of fruit trees. 

Catocala gnjnea is becoming with us quite a serious orchard pest 
during the latter part of May and June. The larvae rest during the 
day, closely appressed to the trunk and larger branches, and feed at 
night. Spraying with Paris green is an effectual remedy. 

Edema albifrons, which has not been found here for a number of years, 
made a serious attack on the white and post oaks early in the summer, 
inflicting considerable injury on the foliage. No experiments were 
made in the a^jplication of artificial remedies. 

SOIvCE OBSERVATIONS ON THE POREST TENT-CATERPILLAR. 

While on a visit to Minnesota in May I had an opportunity of wit- 
nessing a remarkable outbreak of the above-named insect {CUsioeampa 
disstria Hbn.). In aU the forests around Minneapolis, and especially 
on the fine trees along the shores of Lake Minnetonka, the oaks, elms, 
lindens {Tilia), and ash trees were entirely strip j)ed of their young- 
leaves, the larvqp migrating from tree to tree as fast as the latter 
were defoliated. Many would descend by the trunk, but a large pro- 
portion preferred to leave the tree by means of silken ro])es, often 
stretched from the highest branches to the ground, and wliich, by 
the thread contributed by each descending worm, became eventually 
as thick as packing cord and very strong. Down this the Avorms 
crawled in single file. In driving along the woodland roads these long 
swaying strings of worms presented a most singular spectacle. Occa- 
sionally one of these ladders would be carried by the wind (or possibly 
by tlie accidental impact of a bird) from one tree to another, and even 
across the roads, forming festoons of crawling worms through which it 
was anything but agreeable for nervous people to drive. 

Tlie few orchards of that part of the country were also badly infested 
by the same species. 

I could not observe much of the tent-making habit. Even when 
molting in companies the larvaj merely spun mats of silk against the 



41 

bark of the tree and in very few cases was tliere any attempt at a 
shelter. 

From accounts in the papers of that date it would seem that the in- 
sect prevailed throughout the forests of the Northwest, and in some 
instances, while moviug- in armies from one locality to another, they 
were so numerous on railroad tracks as to occasion delays and stoppage 
of trains. Poultry refused to feed upon them, and, so far as I was able 
to observe, very few birds attacked them. My stay was not sufficiently 
prolonged to enable me to ascertain what proportion of the larvae were 
destroyed by jjarasites. 1 was informed by friends who were summer- 
ing at Lake Minnetonka that one still, warm evening early in Jnly all 
the moths seemed to issue at once and were so numerous that the flut- 
tering of their wings up and down the trunks of the trees and among 
the branches filled the air with a distinct and peculiar humming sound 
that attracted very general attention and curiosity. 

On the succeeding evening scarcely a moth could be seen, and it was 
supposed that the brisk wind that blew during the day had carried 
them into the lake. So far as I could judge by their behavior in the 
rearing cage, they develop with remarkable regularity, hatching, molt- 
ing, and transforming simultaneously, so it is probable that in one or 
two evenings of winged existence they had fulfilled their mission of 
providing for the continuance of their kind. 

NOTES ON SOME NATURAL ENEMIES OF PERNICIOUS INSECTS. 

The Web-worm Tiger {Plockionus timUlm) (if I may be permitted to 
give it a popular name) realized all that was anticipated of it this sea- 
son in its work of exterminating the insect it has selected for its special 
prey. 

June 6 I found two colonies of IIyi)hantria ciinea, one on a young tree 
of Box Elder and the other on a vigorous sj^rout of Laurel Oak, both in 
excellent position for observation In situ. The larvie in each case had 
inclosed but two or three leaves and seemed to be about ready for the 
first molt. 

On the 10th a single specimen of Plochionus was observed running 
up and down in each of these webs. On the 16th a close examination 
of the nest revealed a dozen or more of the slender white eggs attached 
to the twigs and petioles of the leaves and a few laid loosely in the 
web. On the 20th larvte about 3""" in length were seen in the web and 
probably others had attached themselves to the Web Worms, now about 
ll*""", or one-half inch in length. 

When next visited, June 23, the colony on Box Elder had migrated 
and separated into three companies on difl'erent parts of the tree. 
They had not, however, in this way escaped their relentless foe, for a 
inimber of the active little Carabids were running about among them 
apparently quite at home wherever the worms Avere. Two were seen 



42 

-with tlieir jaws buried id the Ijodies of the Hyphautria larvse just back 
of the head. 

June 27, the ineseuce of this savage and persistent enemy seemed 
to utterly "demoralize" the web worms, causing them to repeatedly 
"break up housekeeping" aud seek new locations, separating into 
smaller and smaller grouj^s in the instinctive search for safety. But 
the attempt is vain; for no sooner are they established than Plochionus 
is on the trail, and is not long in discovering their whereabouts and 
biting into them whenever it is hungry. 

By the end of June the colonies on both trees, though not nearly full- 
grown and greatly reduced in nuinbers, had dispersed, the gregarious 
instinct having evidently beeii lost nuicli sooner than usual. A few 
Plochionus larviie about one-half size were to be seen in the deserted 
webs for a day or two after tlie Aveb worms had disappeared, after which 
they, too, departed, and I x)resume descended to the ground, where they 
preyed upon such larvae as could be found there. A few were placed 
in a rearing jar and supi»Iied with Spilosoma, Orgyia and other hairy 
larvae, but these were not attacked, nor was I able at the time to find 
any other species upon which they would feed, and all perished without 
completing their development. 

The second brood of Hyi)hantria, which with us has always been 
most numerous and injurious, was very sparsely represented in this 
locality. Upon my return from the East I made diligent search in 
Kirkwood and vicinity for the remains of webs or other evidence of the 
worms, but could find very few. To my mind there is no question 
that this happy immunity is due primarily to the agency of the little 
Carabid, which has in some way suddenly acquired the habit of prey- 
ing upon them. 

Uropoda americana. — About the middle of July I received from IVIr. 
F. M. Webster a few specimens of the Striped Cucumber Beetle {Bia- 
hrotica vittata), thickly infested with the above-named large brown 
mite, with the request that I attempt to colonize it on the same or allied 
species of beetles here. Just at that season I could find but very few 
examples of D. vittata, but as D. 13-pimctata was 'dhundunt I hoped the 
mites would accept the latter as a substitute. In this 1 was disappointed, 
the parasites refusing to leave their original hosts. After a few days 
two or three specimens of vittata and several each of Colaspis prce- 
texta, C tristis, Lema trilineata, and Doryphora 10-Uneata were intro- 
duced into the jar and each supplied with its preferred food. The jar — a 
large one of clear glass — was kept on my desk under constant observa- 
tion, and in two days I noticed a few of the mites on each species of 
Colaspis, with a very evident i)reference for the pretty blue tristis. In the 
course of a week all the specimens of the latter were thickly covered aud 
much weakened, while only a few were found on prwtexta and none at 
all on any of the other species, not even on the fresh specimens of their 
original host. In accordance with a suggestion, the attempt was made 



43 

to colouize tliem upon Anasa tristis and other Hciiiiptera, but without 
success. 

A few of the mites liad, wlieu first received, been introduced into the 
cucumber bed, and upon leaving- home in August I transferred all the 
beetles to the garden in the hope that they would disseminate the para- 
site. To what extent this has been done I can not now say. Upon my 
return home, after an absence of a month, I found the garden suffering 
from heat and drought, the cucumber plants nearly all dead, and no 
mite-infested beetles to be seen. T hope, however, that Uropoda may 
reappear next season in time to save us, in a measure, from the attacks 
not only of the cucumber beetle, but from those of Oolaspis on flowers 
and grape foliage, on which both the bronze and the blue species Lave 
for several years inflicted much damage. 

The Cabbage- worm Parasite {Apcmteles glomeratus). — It is with great 
satisfaction that I announce the advent into Missouri of this valuable 
natural check to the ravages of Pieris rupee. It was observed about 
the 1st of August in the gardens of Kirkwood, and about the same 
time was reported to me by Mr. C. P. Fox, of the experiment station at 
Columbia, in this State. Mr. Fox claimed that in his locality it had 
destroyed about 80 per cent of the worms. Unfortunately many of the 
cocoons received from this gentleman were infested with a secondary 
parasite ( TetrasticMis sp. 1) which may interfere somewhat with its future 
abundance. In this vicinity the primary parasite was unmolested, but 
was not so numerous as at Columbia, not more than one in five or six 
of the worms being affected. It was found, also, upon two larvae of P. 
protodice, which in our garden were feeding upon Sweet Alyssum. It 
has been several years since I found the latter larv« u^jon cabbage. 
In some unexplained way P. rapw seems to have driven them from the 
field. 

1 have not yet learned how general the appearance of the cabbage- 
worm parasite was during the past summer in this State, but, judging 
from the fine crop of cabbages sent to our city markets from the north- 
ern and western counties, the vegetable must have been rescued by 
some natural agency from its most serious enemy, and this agency, I 
strongly suspect, was the little Apanteles under consideration. 

INSECTICIDES. 

The only new jireparation experimented with this summer was 
" Thymo-cresol," Lawford Bros., importers, Baltimore, Md. This fluid 
is offered to the public more especially as a " cold-water dip" for sheep 
and for use on poultry and other animals in the case of vermin. It is 
also claimed to be a valuable disinfectant and antiseptic. In accord- 
ance with instructions from the Department it was tried as an insecti- 
cide in the place of kerosene enuilsion. Added to 50 parts of water it 
forms a milk-white, soapy fluid that distributes readily through the 
Lewis hand sprayer. It has no disagreeable odor, a point that counts 



44 

in its favor, and is not irritatiug to the skin, nor in any degree poison- 
ous. 

Tlio iirst use made of it was aiiainst that worst of all ])oultry pests, 
tlie Chicken Louse {Goniocotes holoijaster). This is a niinnte creature, 
much resembling the Red Spider so injurious to plants. It is often 
found in birds' nests and is probably in this way communicated to 
chickens. In the case in (juestion these lice not only appeared in the 
chicken house, but invaded the adjacent stable, where they proved ex- 
tremely irritating- to not only the horse, but to the person in charge. As 
soon as the matter was mentioned at the house measures were taken to 
exterminate the pest. The chickens and other animals were excluded 
from their usual quarters and the buildings fumigated with burning- 
sulphur. This was followed by a thorough dusting with air-slaked 
lime, usually a dependable remedy. In this instance, however, these 
measures did not suffice to expel all the lice, and complaints of the nuis- 
ance continued. As a last resort the Thymo-cresol, a package of which 
had just been receivinl, was, recommended, and a large quantity ot 
water was prepared with the proportions of the remedy according to 
instructions. With this the chicken house, inside and out, and the en- 
tire stable was thoroughly drenched by the aid of the appliance men- 
tioned above, and there was no further trouble with the louse. 

As a disinfectant its use was continued throughout the season in the 
barn and outbuildings. 

As an inseiiticide my experiments w^ould not justify me in recommending 
it for geijeral use. It was tried upon the beetles and larvaj of the Potato- 
beetle; upon the Sipiash Bug [Anasa trisfis); upon the Twelve-spotted 
Cucumber Beetle [Diahroiica 12-pnnc'lata) ; upon the Harlequin Cabbage 
Bug {Murgantia histrionica), and upon a number of other Coleoptera 
and Hemiptera without ai>preciable effect. Various Aphidi<he were 
destroyed by repeated ap])lications; the larvae of the C'abbage Butter- 
Hy were also sickened by two or three doses, but a single wetting did 
not suffice to do much good; a strong solution — 1 part to uO of water — 
was used upon Harris's Apple Scale {(Jhiorimpis fiirfurns) and upon the 
Bose Scale and seemed to ])enetrate to and destroy the eggs; but on 
the whole it is not sufti»'iently drastic to kill at once by contact, and is 
not speedily poisonous to vegetable-feeding insects if taken in with Ihe 
food. Its etfccts on vegetation are not injurious, except wlu^n a num- 
ber of applications are made in succession without spraying with ]»ure 
water to rinse it oft". I hope to repeat and extend exj)eriments Avith it 
another year, especially to give it a thorough trial on animal parasites, 
for which but little opportunity offered the present season. 



EEPORT OF PEOGRESS IN THE INVESTIGATION OF THE 
COTTON BOLL WOEM. 



By F. W. Mally. 



LETTER OF SUBMITTAL. 

Shkeveport, La., Octoher 0, ISDl. 

Sir: At your request I have liastily prepared a very brief aud condensed summary 

of this season's work, carried on under j^our direction, tqion the Cotton Boll Worm 

(Heliolhis armigera Hiilm.). 

All details as to experiments, observations, and special notes have been omitted, 

as the siunmary was only to give an adequate idea of the present condition of the 

investigation. 

Very respectfully, yours, 

F. W. Mally, 

Assistant. 
Dr. C. V. EiLEY, 

Entomologist. 



GEOGRAPHICAL DISTRIBUTION AND DESTRUCTIVENESS. 

The Boll Worm is found througliout the whole cotton region. Over the 
greater i>ortion of this area its injury is only slight and not worthy of spe- 
cial economic consideration. The regions where special remedial or pre- 
ventive measures are practicable comprise that portion of Texas included 
by an irregular line drawn from Paris to Tyler, to Cameron, to Temple, 
to Gainesville, to Paris. For Arkansas a narrow belt from Fort Smith 
to Morrillton, to Little Eock, to the southeastern portion of the State 
For the Indian Territory a strip running from Gainesville, Tex., to Fort 
Smith, Ark. These are the areas of greatest destnuctiveness, and for 
the whole area the injury may range from 10 to 15 per cent of the whole 
crop. For certain counties the percentage of injury is greater. Again, 
individual plantations may be almost wholly destroyed while a dozen 
others adjoining may escape with only slight injury. The sensational 
reports of damage are nearly always based upon these individual ex- 
amples, and an accurate scientific estimate of the average for a county 
or district is seldom made. The worst infested fields are, in most cases, 
those which for some of many reasons which could be given in a de- 
tailed report behind the others; that is, late cotton. This makes them 

45 



4G 

more attrax'tive lo tlie niotlis aiul arcounts, in part, for tlie inct that 
one field is badly injured while surroniidiiift' ones are not. The injury 
in other portions of the cotton region not specially outlined above 
amounts to less than 2 per cent, and is so scattering as not to demand 
serious attention^ unless, perhaps, in a few isolated excei)tional locali- 
ties. 

FOOD-rLANTS. 

Corn is well known as its choice food-i)lant. Cow-peas rank next, 
and cotton i>rol)ably third, though there is evidence that if the tomato 
crop were in as prime a condition later in the season when corn matures 
the tomato woidd rank third, and cotton, at best, about fourth. This 
accounts in part for the slight injury to cotton over most of the cot- 
ton belt, where many of the crops just mentioned are planted a second 
time later in the season, and which, therefore, divides the attack of the 
Boll Worm on cotton. Experience has abundantly shown that cotton as 
a food-plant is more a compulsion than a choice. More stress should 
be placed uj)ou the imi)ortance froni an economic, entomological stand- 
point upon the many host plants already on record for this species. In 
localities where the cultivation of tobacco is being introduced it is to be 
noted that the Boll Worm abundantly attacks the crop, and care must 
be exercised in order that its ravages may not attain serious propor- 
tions and endanger the jirogress of the introduction of this croi). In 
large cities even flower gardens entirely isolated from corn or cotton 
fields, have been frequently found to be infested with Boll Worm. This 
can u^ot be accidental, as might be urged, if these gardens were exposed 
to badly infested fields, and it simply illustrates the reckless, apparently 
indifferent habit of the female as to the host plant upon which she de- 
posits. Special mention in city flower gardens should be given the 
Verbena, Geranium, Abutilon, rosebuds, and Jack Beans. 

CHARACTERS AND TRANSFORMATIONS. 

These have been so fully described heretofore that nothing further 
deserves special mention in this connection, except the habit of can- 
nibalism among the worms. As for the imagos, former observations as 
to their diurnal habits have been fully verified the jiresent season. At 
Arlington, Tex., last August, hundreds were seen flying and feeding 
freely on cow-peas from 9:30 to about 11 a. m. Though carefully 
watched, deposition at this time was not observed, and it appeared that 
they were only breakfasting. Deposition, however, could be frequently 
noted in the afternoon several hours before sundown. 

NUMBER OF BROODS AND HIBERNATION. 

As to the number of broods nothing additional need be mentioned 
at this time. The question of hibernation, however, demaiuis special 
consideration, and steps must yet be taken to determine more defLuitely 



47 

the facts. Your agent, unfortunately, has been located in regions not 
especially infested, and it transpires that owing to the scarcity of adults 
at any season in the localities under observation that hibernating speci- 
mens would be rarely found. 

There is no question but that many pupte do not issue in the fall, but 
remain as such over winter. Many of these even enter the pupa state 
as early as the middle or latter part of September and remain quiescent 
until April or May. The decided overlapping of the broods from the 
beginning of the season is thus easily explained, for doubtless the 
hibernating moths a|)i)ear earlier thau those issuing from the puisne in 
spring. 

Observation proves beyond a doubt that a great majority of the 
destructive brood on cotton in August and September issue as imagos 
before the close of the season. The facts also prove that instead of the 
number of worms which might rightfully be expected from these imagos 
to appear in greatly increased numbers absolutely appear in decreased 
numbers. This indicated that some of the moths of this brood were 
bent upon hibernation and refrained from depositing at this time. In- 
deed, the facts disclosed by the latest observations warrant the asser- 
tion that many of the imagos resulting from this destructive brood 
hibernate. The majority of the worms si)oken of in iirevious reports 
as found so late in the season are mostly those from the eggs of belated 
females of the preceding brood and worms whose most rapid develop- 
ment has been hindered by various, perhajis accidental, unfavorable 
envii"onments. Furthermore, as previously stated, the broods from the 
very first of the season overlaid. Doubtless, therefore, a great jiortion 
of the worms found during the latter part of September and later con- 
sist also of the lap, so to speak, of the last brood, and should not be 
counted as a separate brood or even a partial one. 

NATURAL ENEMIES. 

The cannibalistic habit of the Boll Worm makes it its own greatest 
enemy, as will be shown under the head of remedial measures. All the 
enemies noted in Bulletin No. 24 of the Division have been observed 
again. The same special stress and importance must again be repeated 
in sjieaking of the egg parasite {Trichogmmma pretiosa). Its value can 
not be overestimated. Among birds the Sapsucker, Crow Blackbird, 
and Crows deserve special mention. Another sj)ecies of Eobber Fly 
was noted (latching the imagos. Observations upon the habit of ants 
{Solenopsis geminata) Q2iv\\Qv m. the season makes it absolutely certain 
that at that season they frequently capture a Boll Worm. They do so 
nu^stly when the worm travels or comes out of the ear of corn to molt. 
They seldom enter an ear of corn for a deliberate search after their vic- 
tim. Later in the season, when there is a greater diversity of insect 
life and also vegetable growth, the ant loses special interest in the Boll 
Worm. 



48 

A small (':i]>si<l {Triphlejm inudiosvs) is found al)iiiulantly on corn 
silks. It jranctures and feeds upon the eggs of Heliotliis and probably 
very young Boll Worms. Many beneficial insects, especially the small 
Scymnid beetles, are also abundantly found on corn silks. This sub- 
ject will, however, be treated more fully in a subsequent report. 

INSECT RAVAGES EASILY MISTAKEN FOR THOSE OP BOLL WORM. 

All of those noted in Bulletin No. 24 of the Division have been ob- 
served again, with the additional one of Thecia poeas, which, however, 
had been previously recorded. Among the Tortricidtie, a number of 
species have been reared on cotton. The habits of the larvne are well 
known to be such that it is reasonable to expect that those species of 
Pyralidaj and TortricidiB which feed on cotton at all may occasionally 
in doing so bore a stem or peduncle, or even the bolls, forms, and 
squares themselves. 

Many Hemipterous insects puncture very young forms and squares, 
or their peduncles, causing the prospective fruit to fall. The mark re- 
sulting from the puncture closely resembles the working of very young 
Boll Worms, and by many planters the latter are held responsible for 
the injury. To Hemipterous insects is due much of the shedding of 
cotton in August and September, and ravages are popularly called 
'^sharpshooter" work. The most injurious, and perhaps also the most 
abundant of the sharpshooters is a large leaf-hopper {Anlaci.zes sp.). 
Calocoris rcqndns, Largus cinctus are among those also which do much 
damage. The life-history and ravages of these inse(;ts must be re- 
served for more complete discussion in a subsequent report. 

REMEDIES. 

The great range of food-plants of the Boll Worm, its habit and method 
of feeding upon special portions of these host plants, together with the 
isolation of individuals which necessarily follow such food-habits, make 
all insecticidal measures of any nature little of or no practcial utility. 
In the regions designated heretofore as injured probably about 2 jper 
cent or less, the attack by the Boll Worm is divided between so many 
different crops that the application of any insecticide upon one crop be- 
comes much more exjiensive for that crop than the injury done by the 
Avorm. Furthermore, such measures are inadequate unless applied to 
all the crops attacked at any specified time in any given locality. For 
these regions it is evident, therefore, that insecticidal measures are 
entirely impractical, even though the insecticide be aperfectly efficient 
one and can be applied with the greatest effect. The same can be said 
for localities Avorse infested, though the difference in destructiveness 
partly mitigates the excess of expense. In any case, the vast areas of 
cotton to be treated in addition to other crops still make such measures 
questionable as to expense, aside from the time required during the 



49 

busy season when such remedies must be apj)lied. It is the opinion, 
therefore, of your agent that no insecticidal measures, even though 
efficient as such, are to be recommended, because from the nature of the 
case they are burdensome and impracticable. The whole work must 
be accomplished by preventive measures, such as are hereinafter dis- 
cussed, and which have been suggested by the food-habits of the species 
in question, and which by experiment have been found adequate. In 
this way it was determined that the Boll Worm has a choice food-plant 
among the long list recorded, and, as will be seen, it has been the effort 
of your agent to demonstrate the practicability of manipulating this 
food-plant so as to concentrate the attack ui)on it, first trapping the 
worms and then destroying tlieiu. 

PLOWING. 

Fall plowing, as a preventive measure against Boll Worm in slightly 
infested regions, is not practical as a purely boll worm measure. In 
badly infested regions it is to be done when possible. The great diffi- 
culty with this measure is that the top crop of cotton is seldom all j)icked 
timely enough to make fall plowing possible before the rainj^, wintry 
season begins. Due to this fact, it must be urged that plowing be done 
in vspring, as early as it is possible to plow and pulverize the soil. This 
early plowing, with the cold, rainy weather and occasional frosts, which 
occur as late as April 1, will insure the destruction of many of the 
chrysalids. The after-preparation of the soil at planting time will 
doubtless destroy a small percentage of the surviving puj^a?. 

Early plowing, in addition to being a boll worm preventive, has its 
strong advocates among leading agricultural men, who insist that it 
should be followed as an improved method or practice of farming, since 
larger and better crops are produced when done. 

COEN. 

Corn is beyond doubt the choice food-plant of the Boll Worm. From 
about the middle of April, when the corn becomes large enough for the 
Boll Worm to work in it, this worm may be found, and continuously so 
on through the season so long as green corn in suitable condition for 
food Is found. Until about the middle of May or first of June, Boll 
Worms are rarely found on any other plants than young corn. This 
being true it is surprising to find that the first brood is so small. From 
numerous accurate accounts in May and early June, at Shreveport, La., 
it was found that about 2 per cent of the young corn plants showed 
signs of Boll AVorm ravage, while (due to the change of plants by the 
worms) less than 2 per cent actually contained worms. 

At this time there is presented the first and most important opportu- 
nity for inaugTirating i)reventive measures, namely: to cut out the in- 
fested plants and burn them or simply crush the "bud" of the corn 
21382— iio, 20 4 



50 

iiTid mash the worm it contains. Tlie small percentage of corn which, 
even by the severest method, will be destroyed, together with its ab- 
solute certainty in attaining the desired end makes this a cheap, efifect- 
ual, and practical measure to practice^ at this season of the year. 

Some advise the api>lication of oil emulsions to the "buds" of the 
young corn plants, but the time required to prepare the emulsions, ex- 
pense of material and apparatus for applying properly the liquids or 
powders used, again throws it beyond the realm of the practical. There 
can be no practical advantage gained since no remedy of this nature 
can be more satisfactory and expeditious than the practice of crushing 
or cutting out and burning of the "buds" of infested plants as already 
described. 

This preventive measure has the advantage of being inaugurated 
at a time when labor is not so much needed for other purposes, and 
hence can be done at a lesser cost and sacrifice. It can be utilized, 
however, only during the fore part of the season, before the corn tas- 
sels, and hence the importance of early action on the part of the plant- 
ers at the time specified. 

As a second preventive measure the cotton field should be so ar- 
ranged tliat four or five rows of corn are x)lanted for every forty or fifty 
rows of cotton, the corn to be planted fit a such a time as to be in the 
prime of silking and roasting ears a week or ten days after the July 
brood of Boll Worms matures in the regular crop corn; that is to say, 
at the time when the moths of the destructive August brood which at- 
tacks cotton begin issuing. Finding the regular croj) corn too near 
maturity they are compelled to go to the cotton. This occurs from 
about the first to the middle of August, depending more or less upon 
the locality. The important point is to have green corn in suitable con- 
dition for food at the time when Avhat is called "the destructive brood" 
goes to cotton. This time, as is well known, varies some in each local- 
ity, and can and must be best determined by the farmers of their re- 
spective localities. In most cases the result will be accomplished if the 
trap corn spoken of is planted from about the first to middle of June. 

By some dozen experiments with trap-planted corn in various locali- 
ties, its practicability as well as efficacy has been demonstrated. The 
female unquestionably selects the trap-planted corn for egg deposition 
to the practical neglect of the surrounding cotton and all other food 
plants excei)t cow-peas. The trap-planted corn being reduced to the 
minimum quantity, the egg deposition upon each individual ear is un- 
naturally increased. Oftentimes fifteen to twenty-five or thirty eggs 
were found on the silks of a single ear. The worms fed and found 
plenty of room in the ear of corn for a tinu', but as they grew larger 
they became crowded and began to prey upon each other. When this 
preying is once started it is carried to such an extent in these infested 
ears that rarely more than one (sometimes two) of the twenty or thirty 
worms ever attain maturity. Those even which attain maturity have 
yet the risk of capture hy natural enemies, parasites, disease, etc., tq 



51 

experience when leaving the ear and traveling al)out seeking a suitable 
place for pui)ation. The number of ears of corn having been reduced 
to a minimum by trap planting, it is found that the cannibalism in- 
duced among the worms reduces those reaching maturity to minimum 
also. More than a minimum can not be accomi)lished, whatever be 
the remedial or preventive measures. It becomes questionable, there- 
fore, Avhether it is to be recommended that the trap-planted corn be 
cut and burned so as to destroy the few worms attaining maturity in 
it, because the value of the corn more than compensates for the small 
percentage of worms thus maturing. 

Again, the numerous fresh corn silks so late in the season seem to be 
specially attractive to many beneficial insects as suitable resorts, and 
the egg parasite and many of the other smaller natural enemies of the 
Boll Worm are found abundantly on these silks and in the ends of the 
ears. Whether they are attracted by the corn silks being fresh or in 
search of the objects of their prey, the fact remains that, being thus 
conveniently quartered in the trap itself, these beneficial insects have 
more frequent and better opportunities for successfully preying upon 
the obnoxious insect. Their attack under such circumstances may be 
said to be artificially concentrated more or less against a specified in- 
jurious insect and hence makes them more efficient agents in reducing 
and assisting in the control of the ravages of that species. A portion 
of these beneficial insects would also be destroyed by any treatment of 
the corn looking to the artificial destruction of the Boll Worm. In view 
of these additional facts it seems best not to urge such a measure. 

As to the first preventive measure, some insist that cutting out 
infested corn early in the season endangers a good stand. In reply it 
can be said that, much of the corn being drilled in, some is chopped out 
at the time of the first plowing. At the time of this first chopping a 
greater proportion of the drilled corn can be left and at the time neces- 
sary to most efficiently attack the Boll Worm the portion cut out will 
be counterbalanced by the slight excess left from the first thinning. 
But, as already stated, absolute chopping and burning need not be 
resorted to if care is exercised so that the crushing process be thor- 
oughly done. In that case the worm is destroyed and the plant, as 
experiments have shown, is not materially injured and still makes a 
good ear of corn. 

To the second, some object that by planting a trap croj) in the man- 
ner recommended you actually encourage the greatest possible devel- 
opment in point of numbers, that succeeding broods will be proportion- 
ately greater, and hence the measure will be worse than no remedy. 
This has already been partially answered. The trap corn is reduced 
to the minimum in quantity. This makes a maximum crowded condi- 
tion which induces the maximum cannibalism in the species and, as 
already explained, actually makes the Boll ^Yorm its own destroyer. 
On the other hand, if the trap corn were not planted the moths would 
of necessity deposit on cotton. Here there is plenty of room and eaci^ 



52 

individual worm would feed and mature independently; hence no con- 
ditions exist to induce their preying upon each other and the maximum 
number of worms attain maturity. 

The results of this preventive measure may be concisely stated to 
be: First, iJrotection of the cotton. Second, the minimum number of 
Boll Worms reach maturity without additional exj)ense after being 
trapped. Third, the first and second are both attained without sjiecial 
cost, in that no money outlay is necessary; no additional labor, since 
the same would be required were the rows cotton instead of corn ; at 
any rate corn enough is produced to pay for the time and labor re- 
quired. Fourth, beneficial insects are more or less attracted and their 
attack concentrated to a certain extent upon a single obnoxious insect. 
Fifth, the planter thus protecting his cotton is certain to succeed, 
whether his neighbors attempt equally with him to i)rotect theirs or 
not, for, having fresh corn in good condition in his cotton, visiting 
moths from adjoining farms will choose to deposit and the resulting 
worms will ravage the corn to the practical neglect of the cotton. 

COW-PEAS. 

For attracting or diverting the Boll Worm moth from the cotton this 
crop ranks next to corn. The essential point to be attained is to plant 
the peas at such a time tbat the crop will be in the height of its bloom- 
ing period during the latter part of August and September. The 
Boll Worm moth is very fond of sipping the sweets at the base 
of the developing blooms and very young pods. The peas answer the 
purpose best it seems if planted in distinct rows adjoining cotton fields. 
The growth should be rank and dense, so as to induce the moths to 
make these rows of dense growth their hiding place. From observa- 
tion it has been often found that where patches of peas in. prime con- 
dition were met with during August and Septeml)er the moths Avere 
found there in great abundance and to the i)ractical exclusion of them 
in the adjoining cotton. 

In case it is found that the late-planted trap corn will mature rather 
too early to be of the greatest value, and especially in regions where 
drought is apt to prematurely ripen corn, it is to be urged that cow-peas 
be planted between the rows of corn in time to furnish a continuation 
of the trap througli the rest of the season. In any case it would be 
well to plant the peas as suggested as an additional attraction along 
with the tra]) corn. Care must be taken that only a minimum area is 
planted, in order that, possibly, other remedial agencies can be applied 
with the least possible expense if found advisable to do so. 

POISONED SWEETS. 

The only crop upon which there is a probability of practically utiliz- 
ing i^oisoned sweets is that of the cow-x^eas, i)lauted in limited areas as 



53 

previously recominended. With a limited number of rows, and tliese 
swarming with Boll Worm moths, a tasteful and attractive sweet well 
poisoned and thoroughly applied is of some value. A great difficulty 
is met with in that the liquid applied dries after a short time and what- 
ever moths are to be poisoned in this way nnist feed soon after the ap- 
plication. This process makes a daily application necessary and of 
coui-se renders the crop as forage entirely useless. The worst feature 
howe\cr, is that the x>oisoned sweet, in order to be an effective poison 
must be nnide so strong that one thorough application burns the foliaoe 
and checlcs the growth of the vines to such an extent that from that 
time the pea- vines become useless as a crop for attracting the moths. 
Thus tlie very purpose for which it was planted is suddenly discon- 
tinued. If the brood of moths found at this time issued evenly this 
might not be so serious an objection, but, since the brood issues very 
scattering! y, it is desirable to have the traj^ a continuous one. 

Hence it appears that whatever of benefit is attained by the use of 
this insecticide it is at too great a sacrifice to make the extensive appli- 
cation of it advisable. 

Ex]»erience has shown that the poisoned liquid must be actually ap- 
plied to the tVxjd-plant in order to be most attractive, and hence most 
efficient, [f ])laced in pans or plates or on posts, boards, and like ob- 
jects, a few motlis are trapped occasionally. These catches even seem 
rather accidental, as the great majority are not attracted and, in fact 
the liquid offered in any other locality than upon choice food-plants 
seems really to form no decisive attraction. 

pyrethrum:. 

As already intimated, no insecticide can be of practical utility against 
the Boll Worm, Much work has been done, however, in making decoc- 
tions and various extracts of this powder. The principal points con- 
si<l<Med were those of determining the difference in extractibility of hot 
and cold decoctions, hot and cold extracts with oils, such as kerosene 
or head-light oil. These various extracts and decoctions were always 
made into an emulsion with oil. The emulsions were then diluted and 
applied in the usual way. There is some difference in the extent of 
extraction of the insecticidal properties by hot and cold processes, as 
also the aqueous and oil extracts. The ditference by one of the proc- 
esses is a derided one, though its practical utility upon this particular 
species is questionable, except in special cases under certain conditions. 

LIGHTS. 

Numerous and decisive experiments with lamps for trapping Boll 
AVorm nn)ths were made. Some of these were made under the most 
favorable circumstances. They all proved the absolute folly of this 
practice among planters. The moth is not attracted much at any stage 



54 

of its existoneo, and whatever insects are captured are on the Avhole 
decidedly beucticdal. This i)iactice then is a positive; injury, in tiiat it 
systematically destroys beneficial insects without accomplishinji' any 
good as a recompense. This measure, so commonly practiced by i)lant- 
ers, should, in view of the decided and constant harm attendant upon 
its use, be unhesitatingly condemned whenever opportunities are pre- 
sented for doing so. 

INSECT DISEASES. 

In order that any insect disease should be most efficient and jjrac- 
tical, it is necessary that the pest to be infected be gregarious in habit 
and travel freely enough to intermingle frequently. For the Boll Worm 
both of these conditions are found directly by opposites, it being soli- 
tary in habit and not traveling about as frequently as most species of 
worms of economic importance do. 

Furthermore, feeding on the inside of the portions attacked their 
chances for infection through natural agencies and communication with 
diseased worms are proportionately decreased. Even should a Boll 
Worm become diseased, in the majority of cases it would die in a boll 
or ear of corn and the deliquescing portions of the body containing the 
germs would be absorbed by the rotting or fermenting boll. No other 
worm, therefore, is ever exposed to infection from it. The solitary hab- 
its of the Boll Worm in the midst of suitable jilants offering a great 
plenty of food iurthermore insures the most healthy and least acciden- 
tal condition possible. None of the factors, such as excessive numbers, 
often resulting in a scarcity of food, thereby reducing the vitality of 
the worm, enter into consideration in the case of the Boll Worm. All 
or any of these are conditions which greatly favor the propagation, in- 
fection, and distribution of diseases. These facts concerning the num- 
bers and food-habits of the Boll Worm make it impossible to accom- 
plish anything in a practical way with this species, even though the 
diseases in question were highly contagious and efficacious as destruc- 
tive agencies. The reason, as already stated, consists in the fact that 
there are certain conditions required in order that contagious diseases 
can be introduced and disseminated, and those conditions are wanting 
in this species. 

Again, if there were any contagious insect diseases of economic im- 
portance prevalent in the cotton belt they would before this time have 
made evident their efficacy, especially when it is considered how long cot- 
ton and other crops have been under cultivation, and which have been so 
long ravaged by all the various insects, from some of which we might 
expect the occurrence and spread of disease. There are such diseases 
found in the cotton region, and they have been found in such localities 
as to make infection possible under the conditions as above stated. By 
observation it lias been determined that occasionally Boll Worms do die, 
and apparently from disease. Whether peculiar to the species or due 



55 

to infection fi-oiii otiier sources need not be stated liere, because the 
important point is that, in eitlier case, the results thus attained natu- 
rally are for this species, probably the best possible even by the cooper- 
ation of artificial means. This is in reference only to any jiossible in- 
sect diseases already found in the region where the Boll Worm depre- 
dates on cotton. 

The only liope then would seem to be the iutroduction of a foreign 
disease, or at any rate one not already found in the infested regions. 
This was thought to be the case with the Cabbage Worm disease. 
This disease, even in localities in the South where it is prevalent, pro- 
duces no wholesale exterminative destruction of that species. This 
disease in itself, then, under the local existing circumstances, is not ot 
that virulent kind necessary in most cases for the infection of a new 
pest in a new locality. (This is only generally speaking, and is not to 
be und<?rstood as meaning that a disease virulent in one species will be 
equally so in another, or that a disease mild in one pest might not be 
virulent in another.) Furthermore, the Cabbage Worm disease is 
already found in a mild form in some i)ortions of tlie cotton belt; also, a 
very prevalent disease of the Cabbage Plusia {Flufiia brassicw), and 
wdiich is probably the same as the Cabbage Worm disease. Small 
patches of cabbage are found liere and there at quite frequent intervals 
thronghout most of the cotton plantations, a condition resulting from 
the system of small negro tenantry prevalent among Southern planters. 
Thus every opportunity is offered for the spread of the disease in ques- 
tion in case it were highly contagious and of practical economic import- 
ance in this connection. In fact it has been found that the Boll Worm 
is occasionally found to be diseased. From symptoms and other bac- 
teriological evidence it is now quite definitely determined to be identi- 
cal with the Plusia and Cabbage Worm disease. It is quite probable, 
therefore, that these diseases are already doing their work as exten- 
sively as is possible under the specially peculiar circumstances already 
mentioned, and which are such as to quite effectually baffle artificial 
means. 

The importance of the work with insect diseases is not to be under- 
estimated, however. The work which it was possible to do simply dem- 
onstrates that by mere contagion and transmission no great and won- 
derful results are to be obtained. Eather in this case the question 
becomes one of virulence, and not merely susceptibility to infectious 
diseases. One acquainted with bacteriological methods knows that 
these two objects can not primarily be accomplished simultaneously in 
a single investigation; that is to say that the question of the ineflficacy 
as a xn-actical economic measure by the transmission of any contagious 
disease must be determined first, and then attention is given, if the 
pest is found susceptible, to those conditions which might increase the 
virulence of the disease-producing germs in (juestion. The work, there- 
fore, so far as followed out, is thorough and conclusive, but from the 



56 

nature of the case only one portion lias been completed. Wliat possi- 
bilities lie in the way of experimentinji- purely with the germ in order 
to attain the necessary virulence actual experiment will have to dem- 
onstrate. In addition to giving' attention to the virulence of the dis- 
ease germs, more study should be given the natural conditions in order 
to determine whether they may be artificially varied so as to be more 
conducive to tlie dissemination of disease. 

Above all, the subject ought m^t to be summarily dismissed, since 
only a limited number of germs could possibly be experimented, with. 
True, the most hopeful ones were experimented with first, but yet it may 
transi)ire that other well-known diseases, not yet tried, may be efficient. 
The work has really been one of elimination of some specific germs by 
which it was thought certain desirable results conld be attained rather 
than such as to conclusively demonstrate the impracticability of util- 
izing insect diseases in the province of economic entomology. 



INSECTS OF THE SEASON IK IOWA. 



By Herbert Osborn, S2)ecial Agent. 



LETTER OF SUBMITTAL. 

Ames, Iowa, Dceemher 5, 1S91. 
Sir: I snlimit herewith my report on the more important insects of the season in 
Iowa. The year has been one of unusual prosperity and excellent crops in the State 
and the ravages of insects have attracted correspondingly little attention. Observa- 
tions on some other species than those here mentioned are still in a condition too 
fragmentary to warrant detailed report. 
Very respectfully yours, 

Herbert Osborn. 
Dr. C. V. Riley, Entomologist, 

Washington, D. C. 



The past season lias beeu quite free from any sweeiiiug insect inva- 
sion, and, aside from the prominence of plant-lice and their great mul- 
tiplication upon plums and wheat and the spread of the Clover- seed 
Midge, there were none to attract special attention or to cause serious 
alarm. There were of course the ordinary sjiecies present in their 
usual abundance, and there is no doubt that crops were affected in con- 
siderable degree ; but the loss was not such as to attract unusual atten- 
tion, and it is of course a matter of regular occurrence for a certain 
amount of loss to occur in all crops without causing much inquiry from 
cultivators. In fact, it is the common rule to consider these attacks of 
little moment, or to believe them too little to be worthy the expenditure 
of time and money to attempt their prevention. For some crops, and 
where the cost of application of remedial measures would be large, it 
is doubtless true, but there are certainly many instances where the 
expense of applying some remedial agent or the trouble of adopting 
some method of culture to avoid insect increase would be abundantly 
repaid. 

The White-winged Bibio {Bibio alhipennis) attracted considerable 
attention in the spring, appearing in great numbers in many parts of 
the State, and in a number of cases it was sent in with the statement 
that it was eating foliage of various plants. The evidence gained, how- 
ever, did not suflice to establish any case where actual damage was 

57 



58 

done to foliaji'e, and we ran bnt tliiiik tliat the flies oecnvred on plants 
that had been previously eaten by some other insects and tliattho work 
was erroneously attributed to these Bibios when they appeared in such 
numbers. 

Plant-lice were very abundant on almost all kinds of plants, and 
especially on plum trees did a great deal of damage. The species 
known as Aphis prunifolu was one of the most abundant forms, but 
other species occurred, and one which was apparently the most common 
and destructive appears to be referable to Myzun i^ersicw. This is a 
brown or reddish-brown species, with greenish legs, and it occurs in 
great abundance on the terminal portions of the twigs and causes very 
extensive curling and twisting of the leaves, being almost as bad as 
some gall-forming species in the amount of distortion produced. On 
this account it is more difficult to destroy with kerosene emulsion than 
the forms that are less protected, and we found that in some cases the 
only satisfactory method of reaching them was to dip the worst branches 
directly into the emulsion and wash them about till all the corners and 
cavities had been reached. Later in the season the parasitic insects 
affecting these lice became abundant and their injuries were practically 
stopped. They can most seriously affect the growth of the fruit as 
well as the general health of the tree. On a small tree upon which I 
allowed them to develop for the purpose of watching their progress, 
they clustered on the stems of the plums, and even on the plums them- 
selves, and the fruit thus infested became much wilted, much of it 
covered with exuded juices; and even after the lice had been destroyed 
by parasites failed to recover and make a good growth, some attained 
only about half size, and were tough and of poorest quality Avhen 
ripened, while a portion became so withered that they failed to ripen 
at all. It is evident that the insect should be attended to early in 
spring, before the lice become numerous and the leaves become curled, 
as then they can be destroyed very much easier and it will prevent the 
damage to the fruit. 

Two other forms, ajDparently distinct species and quite different also 
from Phorodon Jmmuli, were observed in small numbers on wild plums, 
but they have not as yet been referred to any described species. 

The Wheat Plant-louse {Siphonophora avence), which has been abun- 
dant in States east of here for a few years past, appeared in abundance 
in the eastern part of the State this season, especially in the north- 
eastern portion (Jackson and adjoining counties). It seems to have 
been noticed first only a few weeks before ripening of grain, and for 
two or three weeks I received a great number of samples. In almost 
every case, however, the sjiecimens sent were noticed to be in large part 
affected with parasites, and I could reply that the injury from the lice 
would probably soon cease. In all cases where I received a second 
notice from the same jjlace it was to the effect that the parasites had 
been increasing and that the injury had ceased. The louse is evidently 



59 

widely spro;ul. Tt was seon at Amos in small luimbers on oats, bnt in 
tins case also accomi>aniecl by parasites; and while it is i)robal)le that 
wheat and oats may be affected by the louse another year, I think we 
may depend upon the parasites being sufficiently numerous to prevent 
serious loss. It would, therefore, not seem advisable to reduce in any 
degree the planting of wheat or oats or any of the crops that may be 
affected by this species on account of possible loss from this ]test. 

The Dogwood Plant-louse, which has been referred to in i)revious re- 
ports, has been observed further and some additional facts secured, but 
there are still some points of importance to be determined. Eggs of 
this species and of the Dogwood Aphis {Aphis cornicola) were deposited 
freely on some small dogwood bushes near my office last fall, and I 
had an opportunity of watching them pretty closely during the spring. 
The eggs near the ground seemed to pass the winter most perfectly, 
and for the Schizoneura hatched in fair numbers in spring, a short time 
before the blossoming of the Dogwood. The insects gathered upon the 
expanding leaves and also on the blossom buds, and as the latter 
opened they seemed to gather by preference in the bunches of blossoms 
clustering upon the stems and at the bases of individual blossoms. 
Apparently the second or third generation acquired wings, and the 
Schizoneura then disappeared entirely from the Dogwood. They were 
not to be found on grasses for some time later, but they would neces- 
sarily be scattered widely and difficult to find at first. 

During the autumn I received word from a Mr. Bower, of Norway, 
that his corn had been troubled with plant-lice, and he sent me sam- 
ples of Setaria infested with Schizoneura, which he said were the same 
as he had been troubled with on his corn. 

Thinking it probable that it was Aphis maidis that was affecting the 
corn, and not the Schizoneura, I requested him to send samples if he 
could then find them of the lice on the corn roots, and he soon sent me 
some roots of corn on which were a number of Schizoneurae resembling 
in every respect the Schizoneura so common on grass. Some of these 
were quite evidently acquiring wings, and shortly after I secured from 
them a winged individual, which agrees closely with Schizoneura corni, 
except that the antennal sensory pits are not so distinctly develoi)ed. 

As the specimen was mounted while still quite fresh, there is a possi- 
bility that the sensory pits had not become as well marked by the rigid 
chitinous border as in more mature individuals, and while I can not 
affirm their identity it seems i)robable that they are the same. If iden- 
tical with the species affecting the Foxtail, it is evident that there is 
an important relation between this weed and the corn with which it 
grows so abundantly. It is certain that we have in the species of 
Schizoneura here noticed another corn pest that is easily equal to the 
common corn-root louse in its power to injure this imi)ortant crop. 

The Clover-seed Midge has become a serious pest in many parts of 
the State, and, while it has been observed before and attention called to 



GO 

tlie necessity of prepiirinj? for its probal)le spread here, tin's year is tlie 
first cue in wliicli there Jias been a loss so great as to cause much alarm 
amongst the farmer%s. Its most serious ravages have been in the north- 
eastern part of the State, where ch)ver has recently become a quite im- 
portant and extensively cultivated crop. In many localities from which 
I have received reports the loss of the clover seed this year has been 
quite comi)lete. In some cases it appears that the clover has been quite 
extensively infested with the Clover Thrips [Fhloeothrips nigra), the 
slender red larva of which seems to be by some mistaken for the larva 
of the Midge. The Midge was treated in Bulletin 13 of the Iowa Ex- 
periment Station, illustrated with your figures, and it is hoped that this 
discussion and the quite general attention it has received from the 
agricultural press of the State will enable the growers of this valuable 
crop to adopt measures by which to secure good crops of seed. 

Another quite serious pest during the year was the Clover-seed Cater- 
pillar (G^ra^/ioZ/iAftinters^/y^c/rtwrt Clem.), which appeared in this locality 
in great abundance and caused the loss of a large i)ercentage of the seed, 
though, since for the first crop there was no effort to secure a crop of seed, 
the loss was, of course, not so important. This species has been treated 
m detail by Mr. Gossard and myself in Bulletin 14 of the Iowa Experi- 
ment Station and in an article ju^esented to the Association of Eco- 
nomic Entomologists (published in Insect Life), and it is therefore 
unnecessary to go into detail regarding it here. It may be stated, how- 
ever, that it has been determined to be three-brooded here and that it 
was found that, when the clover was cut and stored for the first crop 
with the larvie of the first brood still in the heads, all the larvae per- 
ished, and it is deemed a complete method of destruction for the species 
to cut and store the clover while still in bloom the first time, provided 
this is quite general, so that larva* infesting the scattering clover in 
fence corners and along roadsides are not developed in abundance to 
lay eggs for the later broods of the season. 

The Flavescent ( Uover Weevil (Mtones flavescens) also occurred in 
considerable abundance here, and it is probably quite generally dis- 
tributed through the State, since its habits are such as to attract little 
attention. 

The common species of locusts were abundant and in some localities 
I learned of considerable damage to clover and other crops. 

In a number of trials of the hopperdozer plan of treatment for the 
Grass Leaf-hoppers (which works effectually also for the young ot 
locusts), it was found that a simple flat sheet of sheet iron covered with 
coal tar on the ui)per surface and drawn along by means of cords at- 
tached at each end was a most effective method of capturing the jump- 
ing species not only of leaf-hoppers, but young locusts and a number 
of other small insects. A paper giving results of these tests was read 
at the Washington meeting of the Society for the Promotion of Agri- 
cultural Science, and published under joint authorship with Mr. Gossard 



61 

ill Bulletiu 14, Iowa Experiment Station. The most important results 
may be here stated. In an experiment upon a i)lat of grass land a por- 
tion was treated with the tarred sheet on May 29; the remainder of the 
j)hit, or rather a corresponding iiortion on the opposite side of a nar- 
row roadway, was left untreated. On June 9 a trial by running the 
tarred sheet over a strip 3 rods in length on each plat, it was determined 
that by actual count the leaf-hoppers were more than five times as plenty 
on the plat that had been untreated as on the treated plat. And July 
2, when the hay was cut on each plat, the yield from the treated plat 
was 34 i^er cent better than that of the untreated i^lat. 

On June 20 the tarred sheet was tried on another part of the lawn, 
and, " in moving 55 feet with the dozer, the number of leaf-hoppers taken 
was estimated by counting* the insects on three sections of the dozer, 
each () inches long- and extending- the entire width of the dozer. The 
counts were 183, 319, and 22(J, respectively, which averages 243 for each 
section, or 4,131 on the whole pan. At this rate about 370,000 insects 
would be caught per acre. 

"Another test was made at the same time, dragging the dozer over 
66 feet of lawn. This time five sections of 6 inches each were counted 
off and averaged, instead of three, which resulted in giving 2,805 insects 
on the dozer, or 213,089 would be taken on an acre." 

In previous reports I have given some estimates as to the number of 
these leaf- hoppers that may occur on an acre of grass land, and it will 
be seen that these trials not only give confirmatory evidence as to the 
great numbers of these pests that live in grass, but show that they can 
be captured successfully by the hopperdozer plan. Since the latter 
trials were made in hot weather and when most of the insects were 
winged, it was impossible to capture all of the hoppers, and it is prob- 
able that the actual number of hoppers on the land averaged well up 
to 1,000,000 per acre. By selecting best conditions, it will be possible 
to capture a larger percentage, and the profit of securing even half of the 
hoppers in the grass will, I believe, well repay all expense and trouble 
of treatment. 

A very interesting occurrence of the year was the remarkable in- 
crease of a parasite {Apanteles glomcratus) affecting the common Cab- 
bage-worm {Pieris rapcc). 

About the 1st of May I received from you some parasites imported 
from England, but they were already issuing from the cocoons and 
there had been no cabbages i^lanted at the time in this locality, so that 
my only hope of getting them established here was to place them on 
Black Mustard growing wild, and even here I had little hopes of getting 
them established, as P. rapce had only begun to appear in the imago 
and there was little possibility of larvae being ready in time for oviposi- 
tion of Apanteles. About the 1st of August I was somewhat surprised 
to have brought to me a number of rapce larvae with cocoons of a para- 
site that resembled exactly the Apanteles. When the imagos issiied 



62 

they ])roved to bo, so fiir as T could see, identical, and my opinion was 
condrnuMl by roferiinj;^ the specimens to your office. The Apanteles 
had been most abundant in the gardens of a Mr. Gregory, a gardener 
near Ames, but about 3 miles from where the Apanteles had been in- 
troduced, and it seemed almost impossible that they could have become 
so widely tlistributed and so abundant in so short a time. I made care- 
ful inquiries of Mr. Gregory, and found that the parasite had been first 
observed by his wife in the fall of 1890, but in small numbers, and at 
the time supposed to be an injurious species, and all that were observed 
had been destroyed. During the summer just past, however, she had 
seen the larvtie issuing from the caterpillars and rightly appreciated 
their benehcial nature. They became so abundant in Mr. Gregory's 
garden that he told me they had entirely destroyed the cabbage worms 
on his place, and they also iiiultipli(3d extensively in the cabbage patches 
on the college farm, so that there will probably be very few of the cab- 
bage worms another season and even if they appear in some numbers 
the parasites should be so thoroughly distributed as to be able to keep 
them entirely in check. 

While this occurrence of the Apanteles by some previous introduction 
makes it impossible to say with certainty whether any were established 
as a result of the introduction of last spring (and the probabilities were 
against a successful issue in this case) there is the strongest proof of the 
ability of the species to thrive and to successfully reduce the numbers 
of Pieris rapce. It would be of interest to ascertain the soui'ce from 
which they were introduced, but nothing could be learned of any proba- 
ble introduction direct from any distant point and it seems most likely 
that the species has simply spread through its own powers of dispersal 
from other parts of the country where it has been present. It would 
seem to be a very easy species to distribute from one point to another, 
but for the Northern States it would seem more easy to introduce in the 
latter part of the season, as the imagos issue in spring too early to find 
rapcc larvae ready for them to oviposit upon. Mr. Gregory informed me 
that the parasites were noticed issuing from the pup^e as well as from 
the larvie. 

The Apple Maggot, which reports indicated as common in some sec- 
tions of the State last year and which it was feared might prove trouble- 
some to our orchardists, has not been heard from the present season, al- 
though the apple crop has been a large one. Should it make no further 
appearance it would seem to strengthen the idea that it does not thrive 
in this region, perhaps on account of unfavorable soil, a condition that 
may be viewed with much satisfaction by our fruit-growers. 



EEPORT OF ENTOMOLOGICAL WOEK OF THE SEASON OF 

1891. 



By F. M. Weijstek, Sjiccial Agent. 



LETTER OF SUBMITTAL. 

CoLUAiBUS, Ohio, Ocioler 10, 1S91. 
Sir: I herewith submit my annual report for the current year. My last report 
preceding this rehvted to the development of the Hessian Fly, and especially as show- 
ing the desirability of late sowing as a means of warding off the fall attack. It 
seems, however, that where the carrying out of this advice leads to a procrastination 
in the preiiaration of the ground it is likely to lead to injurious effects, where wheat 
is to follow clover. I have, therefore, pi-epared the accompanying report in order to 
show the nature of another class of depredators, and how it is, doubtless, possible 
and practicable to follow out the directions as to late seeding and still avoid contact 
with this second evil. 

Yours very respectfully, 

F. M. Webster, 

Special Agent. 
Dr. C. v. KiLEY, 

U. S. Entomologist. 



INTRODUCTION. 

During the fall of 1890, after the rendering of my annual report for 
that year, I was engaged in the study of various insects, notably those 
afiectiug j^oung growing grain. On February 2, 1891, I started on a 
tour of investigation through Arkansas and Texas, in order to continue 
work begun by me in 1880, relative to the occurrence and effect of vari- 
ous species of Simulium infesting the streams of the valley of the lower 
Mississippi, and also to investigate the depredations of the Grape Cur- 
culio in northwestern Arkansas. From the 20th of February to the 1st 
of April I was in Texas engaged in further studies of Simulium and 
grain insects. A report of the work of this trip has been forwarded 
you and published in Insect Life. Soon after my return, in accord- 
ance with your direction, I visited the farm of Dr. I. W. Chamberlain, 
at Hudson, Summit County, Ohio, to investigate an occurrence of the 
(Jlover Hay-worm. A report of this and further investigation of the 
species involved has been forwarded to you. Further investigations 



64 

into the liabits of some destructive species of Tipulidoe were made, and 
a re])oit, illustrated by drawings, was presented to you for publication. 

A report on observations upon many species of Coleoptera has also 
been ])repared and forwarded to you for publication. In pursuance to 
your instructions, I secured a large number of eggs of Lachnofiterna, 
especially of L. fusca, L. gibhosa, and L. Mrticula^ and, after <-areful]y 
watching the development of these eggs, placed the larvae in breeding- 
boxes, and have colonies of larvae of each of these three species, reared 
from the q^^q^ and at present thriving nicely in confinement. 

On Ain-il 23 I received from you a consignment of Semiotellvs nif/ripes, 
and, in accordance with your instructions, placed the larger portion in 
a wheat field seriously affected by the Hessian Fly, and the smaller 
portion were placed on fly-infested plants, under a cover of Swiss mus- 
lin. Later I received from Prof. Bruner a second consignment, which 
was ])romptly forwarded to Prof. Charles E. Thorne, Director of the 
Ohio Agricultural Experiment Station, who placed them in two fields 
of wheat near Columbus, Ohio. In regard to the success in introduc- 
ing these parasites, I am not yet able to report. I did not rear adult 
Scmiotcllus from those released among grain, under cover, but this is in 
no way to be construed into a failure to colonize them in the field. 
When received many had emerged from the flaxseeds, and some of 
them had perished, and the larger portion of those remaining were 
placed in the fields. At the time of the release at La Fayette, Ind., the 
adult Hessian Flies and native parasites were abroad in great num- 
bers. The field where they were placed had been seriously attacked by 
the fly during the x>receding autumn, fully one-half of the wheat plants 
being aftected. That portion of the field where colonization was made 
has not been molested since, except to remove the crop. Wheat was 
again sown on the larger portion of this field and also on another ad- 
joining, also in wheat last year, so that at present there are two fields 
of wheat growing within 20 yards of the spot where the liberation took 
place. Therefore, while I am unable to say whether or not the parasite 
has become established, I can say that it has had every opportunity to 
do so, and a failure in this case would abiiost prove conclusively the 
imposibility of colonization. The number of living parasites placed 
was too small to show immediate results, and, therefore, time must be 
given for them to multiply before expecting absolute proof of coloniza- 
tion. With regard to those released here I am not so hopeful, as wheat, 
owing to dry weather, did not germinate quickly after being sown, and, 
I fear, may have come too late to afford hosts for the SemioteUus. Both 
fields where the parasite was liberated still remain uncultivated. 

On July 1 of this year I severed my connection with the experiment 
station at La Fayette, Ind., and formed a similar connection with the 
Ohio Agricultural Experiment Station located at this place, a change 
which was api^roved by yourself. 

Since locating here several destructive insects Jiaye demanded atteu- 



65 

tiou. The Wheat IMidge, /)//>/o,sks' trifici, appeared in limited uuinbers 
and was investigated in accordance with your Instructions. A bulletin 
was issued by uie Ironi the station dealing" with chronological data in 
regard to the pest, and a report submitted to yourself relating to this 
and some other closely allied species. 

Many inquiries in regard to the Hessian Fly have been received, and 
in order to meet a popular wish my report of 1800 to yourself, and ap- 
pertaining to this species, has been received and adapted to a station 
bulletin, which was issued in November of the present year. This, I 
think, will afford the desired information to the farmers of the State 
and reply to a vast amount of inquiry, which would otherwise have to 
be answered by letter. 

The indications are that several important pests will demand atten- 
tion next year, and, with your approval, considerable time will be S]:)eut 
in becoming acquainted with the State and the people, with a view of 
securing assistance from the farmers and affording the same in return. 
The facilities ofllered by the station will enable me to i)ush some inves- 
tigations which I have not been able to do before. 

REPORT ON SEVERAL SPECIES OF CRANE-FLIES INFESTlNGr MEADOWS 
AND PASTURES, AND WHICH MAY ALSO PROVE INJURIOUS TO 



WHEAT. 



Any extended study of the species belonging to this group of insects, 
the Tipulidjie, is impeded by many obstacles, owing, tirst, to the great 
difficulty of securing" a proper determination of the species involved, 
and, second, to the fact that they are among farmers to a considerable 
extent associated with cutworms, the larvie being known as cutworms 
and the adults as "cutworm Hies; " so that it is not only a difficult task 
to indicate the exact insect, but equally so to secure accurate data with 
respect to its habits in the fields. In England these insects have long 
ravaged fields of young wheat sown after clover, but in this country 
such attacks have not often been observed. With the increasing jiop- 
ularity of clover- growing, both for pasture, meadow, seed, and fertilizer, 
it would appear that we are on the verge of a new era with respect to 
the effects of these insects in our clover fields; and even now one who 
watches them carefully and notes the numbers of adults which are often 
to be ol)served about our clover fields can not help but suspect that 
they are working an injury which we either fail to observe, or, observ- 
ing, attribute the loss occasioned thereby to other causes. So far as 
grain crops are concerned, the indications are that the American hus- 
bandman will have little trouble in preventing serious ravages in his 
fields. What the future of our clover lands is to be, especially if alloMcd 
to remain intact for a number of years, is yet to be seen. Of the species 
studied, there is not one the ravages of which can not be almost en- 
tirely prevented in young wheat by plowing the ground daring late 
August or early September, and there is every reason to believe that if 
21382— No. 2G 5 



6G 

the fall growth of clover is kept mowed or grazed off during September 
and October little trouble will likely follow Irom the depredations of the 
larva* the following spring. kSome species, notably the ones studied in 
the Indiana fields in 1888 and 181)0, are two brooded, the egg^i being de- 
posited in spring and fall, while TipnJa hicornis, Avhich was reared trom 
the field at Ashland, Ohio, and a species near or identical with Trpnia 
angustipcnnis Loew, are iirobnbly single brooded, ovipositing during 
hite Sejitember aud October only. 

TirULA mCOKMS LfU'W. 

On May 17, 1888, Ave received the following note from the eilitors of 
the Anderfion Herald: 

Andkhson, Ind., May 16, 18SS. 
We soikI yon by today's mail a bottle with sonic worms which are taking the place 
of cutworms in our county. We send them to have them named or to find out the 
name. 

The Herald Company. 

We visited the locality on May 23, 1)ut could learn of but one infested 
field, this being on the farm of Mr. J. 0. Beesom, located about 3i miles 
fi'om the city of Anderson. This field consisted of Uli acres of under- 
drained clay loam, with the soil of the depressions darker colored, the 
surface, however, being nearly level. The fiehl for the two preceding 
seasons had l)een devoted to red-clover pasture, but not pastured dur- 
ing the last year after about August 1. After this date there sprung 
up a rank growth of clover, and, besides, a great number of Rag- weeds 
(Ambrosia). During IMarch of 1888 the clover had been almost totally 
killed, the owner thought by the weather. About April 16 Mr. Beesom 
began to break the field, and then discovered myriads of these larvae, 
which were new both to him and his neighbors. At this time, from a 
square foot of ground he took two hundred of the larv.T, and did not 
dare to plant his fields from fear of these worms destroying his crop. 
On May 16 he found them still in the earth in immense numbers, and 
noticed that a considerable percentage had disappeared — doubtless 
pupated. 

When I visited the field fully 1)0 per cent were in the pupal stage, 
their numbers fully confirming Mr. Beesom's statement as to the num- 
ber of larviie, the lower and darker colored spots being the worst in- 
fested. There were, at the time of my visit, Aery few adults to.be 
found in the grass .along the edges of the field, but in the sod, which 
was that of Blue Grass, no larv;e or i)upa' could be found. Although 
the two stages were pretty generally distributed over the whole area of 
the field, they were especially abundant under clods, turf, or half-cov- 
ered bunches of weeds and other d6])ris. On the level plowed ground 
the pupiTB could be detected by round holes which they occupied in a 
vertical position. Under the clods this feature was not so noticeable; 
although in these cases they seenuMl to favor the edges of their coverts. 



67 

The country was originally thickly Avooded, but has for a long time 
been cleared up, except frequent groves, Avhich are usually j)astured. 
The infested field was one cleared by pioneers many years ago. 

The advanced stage of development to which the insects had already 
attained precluded the possibility of thorough study in the field, espe- 
cially of the larval habits, and hence we were obliged to be content with 
a few and a good supply of pupte, Avith which we returned home. 

After the general habit of tliese insects the pupa occupies a vertical 
position in the earth, and the adult, just prior to emerging, pushes from 
one-half to two thirds of its body above the surface. In this position a 
large number of pupte were placed in breeding cages and the result 
most carefully watched. The first adult, a male, appeared on May 25, 
and did not burst from the pupa until after the latter had been protrud- 
ing from the earth for several hours. The pupa case first bursts along 
the head and pro thorax, and the head and shoulders of the adult first 
appear. Until enough of the body has been delivered to clear the tij)S 
of the wings, egress is brought about by muscular extension and con- 
traction of the abdominal segments. After the wings are free, but 
w^hile still in its vertical position, the imago changes its tactics, and 
begins to rock gently backAvard and forward, draAving up the legs 
slightly at each backAvard motion, until tliey are finally Avithdrawn 
from the case, and the noAV nearly emerged insect bends forAvard with 
the nearly emj)ty pupa case and crawls forth. In the case of the 
female, loaded doAvn Avith her burden of eggs, the assistance of the 
male is often required to finally extricate her. 

On the 2Gth a large number of adults of both sexes emerged in the 
breeding cage, followed on the 27th by still greater numbers, the males 
in the majority; but hardly to the extent indicated by Mr. Beesom in 
the following letter, received a few days later : 

Anderson, Ind., May 29, 18SS. 
Mr. F. M. Webster : According to promise I Avill give you a history of the worms 
and fly. On May 26 the flies Avere A'ery numerous around the fences, multiplying each 
day until the 29Hi, when the field Avas sAvarming with the ''gran'daddy long-legs." 
On the same day there Avas some not yet hatched, but not many, and some were j iist 
coming out. I watched their habits, and think from appearance there was about one 
female to one hundred males. The fenuile is full of eggs Avheu hatched ; has about 
three hundred eggs of a jet black color. I saw the male helping the female out of 
the shell. He would do this by standing upright Avith the female iiushing back and 
forth. In this case the shell would be half av ay out of the ground. As soon as he 
Avould get her out he would impregnate the eggs. This is about all I can tell you 
now. 

Yours etc., 

J. C. Beesom. 

Soon after emerging, sometimes within a feAv hours, the female begins 
her work of oviposition. Three newly emerged females, placed sepa- 
rately in glass tubes, produced respectively 207, 2S2, and 280 eggs. In 
confinement, these eggs Avere throAvn oft" at the rate of from 3 to 10 per 
minute. 



68 

Authorities diffor as to tlio mode of oviposition anioTi.c; the Tiiiulitla;; 
and it is not improbable that there may be a dittereiice of method in 
ditferent sjiecies. Curtis opined that the British species oviposited 
while on the wing, and Miss Ormerod says that Tipnla oleracca Ijiiin., 
oviposits in or on the surface of the ;Liround, wliile Dr. IJiley states that 
he has witnessed the oviposition of an American s])ecies, TijriiJa tririt' 
tata Say, and the eggs are forced into the ground by nu'ans of a double 
pair of valves, something as in the case of our comiaon locusts. 

In the species under consideration, the terminal abdominal segment 
of the female is much more obtuse than in some other of the American 
species, ending in a pair of broad, concave valves or plates, whose office 
appears to consist in holding the eggs in -place and assist in directing 
them to mthin the reach of a second pair of organs. With the female 
standing on a horizontal surf\ice, in a natural ]X)sition, the egg appears 
to pass down the oviduct with the concave surface downward, but on 
nearing the terminus of the oviduct the posterior end of the egg is 
thrown under and forward, thereby bringing the concave side upward, 
and lying, seemingly, directly under a small liguliforni plate which is 
attached only at its base. The apical jiortion of this triangular x)late 
appears to fit the concave side of the egg, which is prevented from going 
too far backward by the anal valves previously nu'ntioned. It is here 
that the second pair of plates or valves, apparently the most important 
appendage, is called into play. This is situated just beneath or a little 
back of the triangular plate, their bases having very nearly a common 
origin, and is composed of two movable valves, or claspers (whose base 
is broadened into a thin liai), which, coming upward at the sides, forms a 
receptacle for the egg) Miiich, when closed together, form a hemispheri- 
cal cup having almost the exact form of one-half of the epicarp of the hick- 
ory nut; and each of the two i)arts, when opened, as faithfully represent 
one of the valves of the epicarp. Wheri the egg is in position on the 
triangular plate these valves are i)ressed against and about it, inclosing 
it on all sides, leaving only a portion visible along the apex; and dro ja- 
ping downwards slightly, but gently, the egg is projected forth with a 
slight snapping sound, seemingly propelled in much the same manner 
as one would eject the pit from a ripe cherry by pressing it between the 
thumb and forefinger. Whether the liguliform ijlate follows the valves 
in this downward movement, or not, I could not determine, but think 
such is the case, as the egg is not projected directly backward, but de. 
llects consideraltly downward. The movements of oviposition are made 
so quickly that it is exceedingly difficult to observe the exact action of 
the parts, and therefore I give them as they appeared to me. Further 
observation may re<|uire a slight revision. 

I have an idea that tlie two elevations at the base of the liguliform 
l)late, which is drawn as seen from beneath, may serve to keep the 
egg from sli[)ping backward and may also assist in pushing it for- 
ward. At tlie base of plate, on the under side, are two loose ap- 



69 

pondages fixed at base and middle, forming', as it were, a sort of basal 
pocket for each of the chispers. The exact use of these I can not un- 
derstand, hnt suspect they assist in some manner in hokling, or, pos- 
sibly, i)rope]ling the e}^g, as, in Pachyrrhina, they are reduced to what 
appears to me to be a mere cushion. 

I wish it distinctly understood that I did not witness oviposition, ex- 
cept under artificial environments, and therefore it would not be best 
to take too much for granted. But, in view of the mechanism of the 
organs of oviiDOsition, and the manner in which they are called into 
play, together with the fact that in the breeding cages the eggs were 
scattered about, without the least indication of a desire to secrete them, 
it seems at least doubtful about this species ovipositing in the ground, 
though it must be confessed the organs of oviposition have a strange 
resemblance to those of migratory locusts. 

The egg. — The egg is 0.8'"'" in length, iiud from 0.3 to 0.4""" in breadth, elongate- 
ovoid, strongly concave on one side, of a jet black color and highly polished." 

The larva. — The larva is abont 20'""' in length, and in maximum diameter is about 
3'""'; head retractile, small and horny, wliitish in color, and spotted with black; an- 
tennae yellowish ; body strongly wrinkled, transversely, especially the posterior seg- 
ments. In the young larvae there are on most of the segments sparsely placed, stout, 
curved bristles, but in the mature larvae these are more frequently missing. The 
first segment is small, the others increasing to the eighth; thence decreasing to the 
twelfth. The first seven segments are much smoother, but not as clearly defined as 
the liist five. The terminal segment is very obtuse, and armed above with a row of 
four stout hooked spines, curved posteriorly, beneath which are two large spiracles, 
and below each of these is a short, fleshy spine, curved upward. General color, dingy 
white. 

Tliepupa. — The pupa varies in length from 13'""' to 18'""', and in breadth from 3'"'" 
to 5'"'" ; head, with eyes, distinct; the antennae is insecurely attached along the breast, 
short, eleven-jointed, the last joint strongly constricted at tip; horns prominent, 
knobbed, curved, moderately distantly separated at base, with an intervening median 
black ridge ; thorax quite prominent, and rotund above ; wings extending to anterior 
margin of first ventral segment ; legs extending, usually, to posterior margin of first 
ventral segment, where they all terminate together, forming a sort of flap, easily 
detached from the segment and from each other. The abdomen is usually rather 
strongly depressed, widening from base to third segment, gradually tapering from 
tlicnce to tip. Excepting the terminal, all of the abdominal segments are provided 
Avith a transverse row of short spines on the dorsal surface, and likewise on the ven- 
tral surface, with the exception of the first and second, which have, instead, two 
large and two small spines, one of each placed on either side of the middle. The 
terminal segment ends with a cluster of closely placed, fleshy pustules, which appear 
to be more or less retractile. Back and above these are two fleshy spines, eiglit in 
number. The lateral margins of the abdomen are wide and thin, armed with a lateral 
row of spines, two on each segment. General color of pupa, dull, dingy brown. 

As clover was seriously injured throughout the West during the 
winter and spring of 1888, any attempt to estimate the injury occasioned 
by these worms wonld, of necessity, be mere guesswork. 

*Egg8 very similar to, if not identical with, these were described some years ago 
by Dr. Riley, to whom they were sent by Prof, S. A. Forbes, he having found them 
in the stomach of the Catbird in Illinois. (See Am. Ent., vol. iii, p. 24.) 



70 

That this spocies is donhle-brooded tliere is no roasonable (lonl)t, later 
obsi'ivatioiis showing that the eggs of the fall brood are deposited 
principally during September, the insect wintering over in the larval 
stage and finishing this stage in early spring, its period of development 
being a little later than the following species, although the two maybe 
found abundantly at the same season, the Pachyrrhina appearing first 
and seeming to be Avell advanced in the work of oviposition by the time 
this begins to a])pear in noticeable numbers. 

Eespectiug natural enemies, Mr. Beesom had observed great numbers 
of crows and "bee birds" hovering about this field almost constantly, 
and he was quite positive that they were engaged in the destruction of 
the larvte. From what has already been stated, it seems probable that 
the adults are, to some extent at least, destroyed by the Catbird. Of 
the probable insect enemies, Pterostichus luciihlandus was particularly 
abundant, and Mr. Beesom at once pointed them out as the most nu- 
merous in the field, and particularly where the larvae were then congre- 
gated. Harpalus pennsyliHinicus^ H. caliginosus, and Pterostichus femor- 
al is were also present in considerable numbers, as were also the larvae 
of some species of Harpalus and Platynus, these larvte being especially 
abundant in places where the pupae of the Tipula were massed. 

PACHYRRHINA 3|i. ? 

Late in April, 1890, news came to me of the depredations of a new 
insect pest in fields of young wheat near Farmersburg, Sullivan County, 
lud. This time the depredators proved to be the larvae of a species of 
Pacliyrrina, but whose depredations were very much like the preceding ; 
a visit to the locality on the 26th, and especially to the fields of Mr. T. 
H. Kendall, revealing the nature of the depredator and effect of its 
ravages. The insect was at that time most abundant in the pupal 
stage, these pupae, after the manuer of the Tipulidae in general, occupy- 
ing vertical cells in the ground. Larvae were, however, present in con- 
siderable numbers, both in the earth and on the surface, the day being 
rainy, and not only about the wheat plants, but also about stray clumps 
of timothy, of which there were a considerable number scattered over 
the field among the wheat. For reasons which will appear further on, 
the numbers present in both stages did not correspond at all with the 
reports of Mr. Kendall, nor with the amount of damage clearly attrib- 
utable to the ])est. The most seriously injured fields were those which 
had been in clover the previous year. 

Of two fields adjoining eacb other, one sown on oat stubble, the other 
on clover sod i^lowed early in October, the latter was damaged fully 50 
per cent, while the former had escaped uninjured. Another field a 
short distance from these, also in clover last year but plowed late in 
August, was damaged only about 15 per cent. A clover field adjoining 
the first two had been completely ruined, but this might have been in 
l)art due to the winter, although the insect was present in abuudauce. 



71 

A close inspection of the most seriously injured fields showed large areas 
of grain totally destroyed, while other areas among them were little 
injured. The plants themselves had not been thrown out by the frost, 
but were well fixed in the soil. The day was rainy, and many of the 
dead plants had a green appearance like that of Avetted hay, and did 
not at all resemble those killed by frost or freeziugj indicating that they 
had withered. 

Mr. Kendall stated that up to the 1st of February his wheat was in 
fine condition, but after that time it began to die, and continued to do so 
rapidly until about the first week in April, since which time the dep- 
redations had gradually ceased. Soon after the trouble began he had 
observed the larvue in myriads both above and below ground, but they 
worked below, not cutting off the plants, but apparently wounding them 
and sucking the juices. In working about just beneath the surface of 
the ground they raised ridges like those made by moles, but about the 
size of straws, and the earth immediately about the plants was often 
worked up as if by ants or earth-worms. 

A large number of larvie and pujia? were secured and taken home, 
in order that I might be able to study the method of feeding in the 
former, secure adults, and watch the oviposition of the females, which, 
I judged, might differ from those previously studied in case they proved 
to be of a different species. While collecting this material, not only 
many dead pupse were noticed, but larvae also, lying on the surface of 
the ground, many of which had turned black wholly or in part, after 
the manner of diseased cabbage- worms. This led to the suspicion that 
they had been attacked by a fungous disease, which had reduced their 
number and consequent injury. While all living material was, on my 
arrival home, placed in a breeding cage and thus kept out of doors, 
nearly all of the pupa* were destroyed, almost entirely, I believe, by this 
fungoid enemy, which Dr. J. C. Arthur informs me is undescribed, and 
for which he proposes the manuscript name Umpusa pachyrrhime. One 
larva constructed its cell in the earth in the breeding cage and trans- 
formed to the j)upa, but the next day this pupa worked itself upward 
out of the cell and was found lying on the surface dead, and covered 
with spores of Empusa. How much this fungus had to do with the 
stopping of depredations of the larva? on the wheat it is, of course, im- 
possible to say, but it must have destroyed a large percentage of the 
pest. 

The first adult appeared in the cage on the 28th, two days after 
removal from the field. Other adults emerged so very sparingly, and 
at such long intervals, that no opportunity was offered to secure fer- 
tilized eggs or note the ovipositing habits of the females. The first of 
the only two females reared was nearly dead when a male emerged, 
and, though fertilized, died without ovipositing, and the male refused 
to pair a second time, leaving the second female without a mate, she 
dying before a second male emerged. Two females and four males 



72 

were all tlie adults secured froiu tlie iiiaterial brought home, the others, 
as I believe, haviugbeen destroyed by the liinipusa previously mentioned. 

The same spetnes was found in abundance in elover iields about 
Lafayette during the whole of the month of May, eggs being- secured 
on the 28th from a female taken in the field. We have this year 
reared adults which appeared June 4. About tlie 10th of August males 
began to appear again in great abundance, and both sexes were ob- 
served on the 15th, and by the 27th they seemed to be in the height of 
the ovipositing season ; but the females stubbornly refused to oviposit 
in confinement, and it was only by securing a female while laying her 
eggs in the field that I secured an additional su]3ply, though I saw a 
female which had been caught in a spider snare depositing- her eggs 
freely. By the 2()th of September the species had nearly disappeared, 
only spent females being seen, though the present season, near Colum- 
bus, Ohio, one Avas observed filled with eggs as late as the 22d. It 
seems, therefore, that the ovipositing- seasons are, as a rule, from about 
May 1 to June 15 and from about August 10 to September 25, the 
period covering- about six weeks. 

The org-aus of oviposition in this species are very dift'erent from those 
of the preceding, giving to the posterior segment of the females a very 
different appearance. Instead of the broad valves we have a pair of 
cliitinous forceps while the lower jilates are produced with the pro- 
longations vertically flattened, aiul the base forms an elongate recepta- 
cle. The liguliform plate is less robust and partakes more of a carti- 
laginous than a chitinous nature, its ofUce evidently being in part sus- 
tained by the teeth with which the interior basal part of the second pair 
of plates is i)rovided. Tiie two pair of plates, when not in use, close up 
and form a slender prolongation of the last abdominal segment. The 
egg difters from that of the preceding species by being smaller and hav- 
ing- five distinct grooves, presumably allowing- the teeth of the lower 
plates to gain a stronger hold on the egg itself, and thus reenforcing 
the liguliform plate, which, as in the preceding, seems to fit into the 
concavity of the egg. The manner of oviposition is as follows : The egg, 
leaving the oviduct, droits into the second or lower pair of clasi)ers and 
under the small liguliform piece, the concave side upward. Here it 
seems to be held in idace while the upper organ or plate is drawn back- 
ward, the lower being at the same time slightly advanced until the two 
flattened prolongations drop in between the two upper ones, when there 
is a sharp click and the egg is thrown forth at an angle of probably 40 
degrees. As with the preceding- species, the rapidity of the movement 
renders it difficult to observe accurately or to determine the exact source 
of propulsion. The females of this species utterly refuse to oviposit in 
confinement, and it is only by capturing them in the fields, after they 
have j)robably begun oviposition, that one is able to secure eggs. 
Even here, however, we have not been able to witness undisturbed 
oviposition, and therefore not aJjle to observe whether or not they use 



73 

tlie combiued organs witli wbicli to place the eggs in the earth, as their 
general contour would indicate might be the case. More especially does 
this seem possible as the preceding species, whose organs of oviposi- 
tion do not seem fitted for placing eggs, oviposit freely in the breeding 
cage. Besides being grooved, the eggs of these Pachyrrhinae are smaller 
and less robust than those of Tipula hicornis. The number of eggs 
which the female produces is also uncertain, as I have not been able to 
secure accurate data on that point. 

On May 7, 1891, I received a number of Tipulid larvae from Mr. D. 
F. Wise, of Ashland County, Ohio, with the statement that they were 
present in one of his fields in myriads, and he was afraid to plant corn 
therein through fear of their destroying his crop. The owner described 
the infested field as having been devoted to wheat three and two years 
previously, yielding about 20 bushels per acre ; was seeded to clover, and 
last year a crop of hay was removed. This spring, however, the clover had 
disappeared and the entire field of 14 acres furnished only feed enough 
for twenty-two ewes and their lambs. From these larvae I reared, June 
4, a male and female of this species. Mr. Wise wrote me later that he 
had observed these worms in his clover fields, and had noticed unac- 
countable injuries thereto for the last nine years, but thought the intruders 
were ordinary cut- worms. About the first of April,this year, he began 
tihng his field, and on the following morning found the bottom of the 
ditch, though covered with water, was swarming with these larvte, and 
the fact of their living in water raised the suspicion that they were not 
true cut- worms. On May 16, nearly six weeks later, he wrote that those 
larvae were still living in the ditch. 

When I received the larvae from Mr. Wise they were placed in a large 
glass with considerable earth and a clover plant, but no drainage. 
After waiting a considerable time for other adults to emerge from the 
larvje, I concluded that the remainder had died, and paid no further 
attention to the glass in which they had been placed. 

Tipula costalis Say. 

Early in July an examination of the earth in the glass mentioned 
above, now nearly a solid mass, showed several larvae, and, what was 
more surprising, they were still alive. During my removal from La- 
fayette, Ind., to Columbus, Ohio, and the rearrangement of things, 
this glass accidentally became filled with water, and remained so for 
nearly two weeks, Avhen, judge of my astonishment on examining the 
contents, ten larvae were fouiul alive and completely submerged in the 
water, one floating about with its posterior upward. The larvae were 
at once removed and placed in a flowerpot, in which a fresh clover 
plant was placed, and this kept watered, l^othing ai)peared until Sep- 
tember 20, when a male emerged, followed on the next day by a. female. 
These were kept together, and, though copulation took place, the 
female stubbornly refused to oviposit, and died without furnishing me 



74 

with a single egg. The same day on wliicli the latter of these two 
adults emerged, while riding along the road, myriads of both sexes 
were observed. They were also received from Mr. J. M. Jones, of 
Dunkirk, Hardin County, who wrote under date of September 19, 
stating that they had appeared about the IStli and were literally 
swarming. He also ealled attention to the popular notion of their 
originating from cut-worms. All facts taken together indicate that this 
species is single-brooded, the eggs being deposited during late Sep- 
tember and early October. Mr. Wise states that the larvai of these 
Crane-flies are most abundant in low, grayish-black soil, and where the 
ground is the wettest, and that during heavy rains they appear to work 
nearer the surface of the ground. He also states that to his knowledge 
they have never injured corn planted in these fields, and the present 
season has shown no exception.* 

From the foregoing it seems that our clover fields are menaced by at 
least three species of Crane-flies, one of which is known to be, under 
certain conditions, exceedingly destructive to wheat, while the other 
two may rest under grave suspicion. In a former report to this Depart- 
ment I clearly showed the desirability of sowing wheat late in the 
fall — the exact time depending upon the locality — as a protection against 
the fall attack of the Hessian fly. It seems now that though sowing 
should be deferred, plowing, in cases where wheat is to follow clover, 
should be done late in August, or at least before the middle of Septem- 
ber, in order to escape injury from the larvie of Crane-flies. 

Besides the enemies of Crane-flies already given, I have observed an 
ant, Aplicenogaster fulvaj attack and drag away a living female of Pa- 
chyrrhina, and in addition to the bird enemies given by Mr.Beesom the 
following is a list of birds found to have preyed upon these insects in 
Illinois (see Bull. State Lab. Nat. Hist. 111., No. 3, pp. 104-135): 



Species of bird. 


No. of 
birds ex- 
amined. 


Ratio of 
food coni- 

po.sed of 
Tipulida;. 


Eobin 

Catbird 


114 
70 


.01 
.05 
.12 
.08 
.04 


AVood Tliiiish 


22 
11 
11 


Alice Tlinisli 











* Siuce the above was written letters have been received from Mr. Wise stating 
that the corn in the fiehl infested by the larva^ of this species did not yiekl lialf a 
crop. The plants were thrifty nntil in Aiij^nst, when they suddenly ceased to grow, 
with the result stated. Eoots sent nie show unmistakable signs of attacks by in- 
sects, such attacks not being made until after the plants had become well rooted, 
after which a vast number of small roots hud been thrown out to re^jlace the larger 
ones destroyed. While, therefore, it is as yet too much to say that Tipula costaVts is 
a corn-destroying iiise<'t, there seems a ]»ruspe(t that futuie study may prove it to be 
such.— F. M. VV. 



REPOKT UPON THE GYPSY MOTH IN MASSACHUSETTS. 



By Samuel Henshaw, Special Agent. 



LETTER OF SUBMITTAL. 

Cambiudgr, Mass., December 7, 1891. 
Sir: I herewith suhmit my report upon the Gypsy Moth (Ocneria dispar) in Massa- 
chusetts, uudertaken iu uccordauce with your iustructious. 
Yours truly, 

Sam'l Henshaw. 
Prof. C. V. Riley, 

U. S. Entomologist. 



This insect, a native of Europe, is mentioned in the American Ento- 
mologist for February, 1870 (Yol. ii, p. 771), as accidentally introduced 
into New England (Of. also Kiley's Second Missouri Eeport, 1870, p. 10). 
Though noted at that tune as " spreading with great rapidity" it was 
not until November, 1880, when Prof. C. H. Fernald, of the Hatch 
(Massachusetts) Experiment Station, issued a special bulletin, entitled 
"A dangerous insect j)est iuMedford," that the species attracted gen- 
eral attention. 

Prof. Fernald's bulletin, aided by notices in the daily press, led to the 
mention of the insect by Governor Brackett in his message to the State 
legislature in January, 1890} he said: "A new enemy is at present 
threatening the agriculture, not only of our State but of the whole 
country. I refer to the Gy^isy Moth [Ocneria dispar)^ a European in- 
sect which has recently aijpeared in the State. They are said to attack 
almost every variety of tree as well as the farm and garden crops. 
They are now confined to a very small area in Middlesex County, but 
have become acclimated and are spreading with great rapidity. If 
their eradication is to be attempted, in)iuediate measures are of the 
ntinost importance." 

A hearing was given by the Committee on Agriculture and an act 
was passed by the legislature authorizing the appointment by the 
Governor of a Gypsy Moth Commission to consist of not more than 
three members. 



76 

The followiug- is the act: 

[Chap. 95.] 

AN ACT to provide against ilcprodations by the insect linow u as tlio Ocncria dispar or Gypay Moth, 

Be it enacted, etc., as follows: 

Section 1. The Governor, by and with the consent of theCouucil, is hereby author- 
ized to appoint a commission, of not exceedin<j; three suitable and discreet persons, 
■wliose duty it shall be to provide and carry into execution all jjossible and reason- 
able measures to prevent the spreading and to secure the extermination of the Oc- 
ncria dispar, or Gyi)sy Moth, in this Commonwealth ; and to this end said Commission 
shall have full authority to provide itself with all necessary material and appliances 
and to employ such competent persons as it shall deem needful ; and shall also have 
the right in the execution of the pur^ioses of this act to enter ujjon the lands of any 
person. 

SiiC. 2. The owner of any land so entered upon, who shall sutfer damage by such 
entry and acts done thereon by said Commission, or under its direction, may recover 
the same of the city or town in which the lands so claimed to have been damaged 
are situate by action of contract; but any benefits received by such entry "and the 
acts done on such lands in the execution of the purjjoses of this act shall be deter- 
mined by the court or jury before whom such action is heard, and the amount thereof 
shall be applied in reduction of said damages; and the Commonwealth shall refund 
to said city or town one half of the amount of the damages recovered. 

Skc. 3. Said Commission shall have full authority to make from time to time such 
rules and regulations in furtherance of the purposes of this act as it shall deem need- 
ful; which rules and regulation shall be published in one or more newspapers pub- 
lished in the county of Suffolk, and copies of such rules and regulations shall be 
posted in at least three public places in each city or town in Avhich said Ocneria 
dispar or Gypsy Moth shall be found by such Commission to exist, and a copy thereof 
shall be liled with the city or town clerk of each city or town. Any person who 
shall knowingly violate any of the iirovisious thereof shall be punished for each vio-" 
lation by a line not exceeding twenty-five dollars. 

Sr.c. 4. Said Commission shall keep a record of its transactions and a full account 
of all its expenditures, in such form and manner as shall be prescribed by the Gov- 
ernor and Council, and shall also make return thereof to the Governor and Council 
at such time or times and in such form as shall be directed by the Governor and Coun- 
cil. The expenses incurred under this act shall be paid by the Commonwealth, except 
claims for damages by the entry tijion the laiuls of any person and acts done thereon 
by said Commission or by its direction, which shall be paid as provided in section 
two of this act. 

Skc. 5. The Governor and Council shall establish the rate of compensation of the 
Commissioners appointed under this act, and the Governor may terminate their com- 
missions at his pleasure. 

Sec. 6. Any person who shall jiurposely resist or obstruct said Commissioners or 
any person or persons under their employ while engaged in the execution of the pur- 
poses of this act, shall be punished by a tine not exceeding twenty-tive dollars for 
each offense. 

Sec. 7. It shall be unlawful for any person to knowingly bring the insect known 
as the Ocneria dispar or Gypsy Moth, or its nests or eggs, within this Conunonwealth ; 
or for any person knowingly to transport said insect or its nests or eggs from any 
town or city to another town or city within this Connuonwealtli, except while en- 
gaged in and for the ])ur])()ses of destroying them. Any i)ers(>n who shall offend 
against the provisions of this section of this act shall be punished by a tine not ex- 
ceeding two hundred dollars or by iin]irisonmeut in the house of correction not 
exceeding sixty days, or by both said tine and imprisonment. 

Sec. 8. To carry out the provisions of this act a sum not exceeding twenty-five 
thousand dollars may be exjjended. 

Skc. 9. This act shall take effect upon its passage. 



77 

This act was approved INFareli 14, 1800, and the Governor named AV. W. 
Eawson, of Arlington; Pearl JNIartin, of Medford, and J. H. Bradley, of 
Maiden, as the Commissioners; they organized March 22, 1890. The 
ap]^ropriatious for the work were anthorized in the following act and 
resolve, approved April 2, 1890, and Jnne 3, 1890: 

[Chap. 157.] 

AN ACT making an approiiriatiou for the exterminat ion of the insect known as the Ocneria dispar or 

Gypsy Motli. 

Sec. 1. A sum not exceeding twenty-five thonsand dollars is herolty apjnopiiated 
to be paid out of the treasury <>f the Commonwealth from the ordinary revenue, for 
the purpose of meeting expenses authorized by chapter ninety-five of the acts of tlie 
present year providing against depredations by the insect known as the Ocneria dispar 
or Gypsy Moth. 

Sec. 2. This act shall take effect upon its jiassage. 

[Chap. 66.] 
RESOLVE relative to the insect known as the Ocneria dispar or Gypsy Moth. 

Resolved, That there be allowed and paid out of the treasury of the Comnnmwealfh 
a sum not exceeding tweuty-tive thousand dollars, in addition to the twenty-five 
thousand dollars authorized l)y chapter ninety-five of the acts of tbe present year, 
for the purpose of continuing the work of the Commission appointed under said act 
in preventing the sj)reading and securing the extermination of the Ocneria dispar or 
Gypsy Moth in the Commonwealth. 

Of this snm of $50,000 only $25,514.31 was expended daring the work 
of the season. 

Naturally the first work of the Commission was to determine the 
limits of the infested region. The only data at hand stated that the 
Ocneria was confined to an area in the form of an ellipse about a mile 
and a half long- by half a mile wide situated in Medford. It Avas at 
once discovered that the Ocneria was abundant in many other localities. 
By the end of May, 1890, the infested region was stated to cover a dis- 
trict 4 miles wide and 16 miles long". 

At the end of their term of service (February 25, 1891), the Commis- 
sioners stated 'that the infested territory was confined to Everett, Mai- 
den, Medford, the westerly parts of Chelsea, the northwesterly of 
Arlington, the easterly edge of Winchester, and a few scattered locali- 
ties in Somerville, in all an area of about 50 square miles. The district 
being determined, an inspection of trees, shrubs, fences, etc., followed, 
all infested being marked with a i)iece of red flannel. Attention was 
first given to the masses of eggs and their destruction was pressed 
energetically until the first days of May, when spraying began. Lighted 
kerosene torches were used to destroy the egg masses. They were 
applied to the eggs in the positions in which, they were found. 

Many acres of brush land were burned over. The work of spraying 
began May 12 and w^as practically finished July 23. Mr. C. A.Longley 
was in charge of the work and the insecticide used was Paris green, 
one pound in 150 gallons of water. During the season about 2 tons 
of Paris green were used and 70,000 trees sprayed. The spraying equij)- 
ment consisted of a cask mounted upon a wagon, a force pump with 
stirrer, 100 to 200 feet of hose and nozzles. Four men accompanied each 



78 

team. A moans taken to prevent tlie spread of the Ocneria was the 
employment of officers with authority to stop and examine every team, 
carriage, horse car, or person ])assing' outside the limits of Maiden and 
Medford and to examine the same. Tliough the utility of tliis work 
was doubted from the first it was continued until most of the larv;e 
had transformed into pup;e. In the fall months the Commission also 
did some work destroying the egg masses. 

On February 25, 1891, Governor Russell, acting under authority of 
Section 5, Chapter 05, acts of 1890, sent a message to the Legislature 
and to the Executive Council removing the Commissioners for cause and 
placing the work in chnrge of Messrs. W. R. Sessions, N. S. Shaler, 
and r. H, Appleton. All the new appointees are connected with the 
State Board of Agriculture and serve gratuitously. See Insect Life, 
Vol. Ill, pp. 472-474: for the act passed by the general court in 1801 



V 



', NORTH 

■•«» l! -r,-,^ .OAN\ 

•- > /! • REAO'NQ^-... ; 







and for the rules and regulations of the Committee. Early in March 
the Committee placed the field work in charge of Mr. E. H. Forbush, 
to whose tireless energy most of the good results are due. 

Starting Avith the information as to the limits of the infested region 
given by the Commission of 1800 it was soon discovered that the Ocneria 
was abundant in many places in addition to those reported. It can 
now be stated to occur in JMarblehead, Salem, Swanipscott, Lynn, 
Lynnfield, Reading, Wakefield, Saugus, Revere, Chelsea, Charlestown, 
Cambridge, Somerville, Watertown, Waltham, Belmont, Arlington- 
Lexington, Turlington, Woburn, AVinchester, Stoneham, ^lelrose, Mai, 
den, Everett, and Medford. There is a great difference in the abun- 
dance of the Ocneria in the various localities, and the bulk of the dam- 
age has been confined to Everett, Maiden, IVIedford, and Arlington. 



79 

The main lines of work this year have not been different from those 
adopted the preceding year, thougli in some details there have been 
changes. The greatest attention has been paid to the destrnction of 
the eggs. It Avas thought that the method of burning the eggs in situ 
adopted last year was injurious to the trees and that many of the eggs 
were not only not destroyed but scattered about. Consequently such 
as were in exposed situations on trees, fences, etc., were cut out and 
burned. 

The danger of scattering the eggs by this method would not seem to 
be very much less than by burning them in i^lace. 

For egg masses that could not be collected and destroyed another 
method has been employed. This is called blazing, and is applied 
chiefly to stone walls, trunks of old trees, heaps of stone, etc. 

The apparatus used consists of a cyclone nozzle attached to a pole, a 
brass rod passes through the pole, a line of hose connects the pole with 
a tank, from which crude oil is pumped. A blaze thus started, a run- 
ning fire is secured, and it soon penetrates all the cracks and crevices. 
This seems a useful and elective way of destroying many eggs not 
readily reached by any ordinary method. The committee and their 
superintendent place their greatest hope of the extermination of the 
Ocneria upon the destrnction of the eggs; to an impartial observer, 
however, the probability of the detection of every mass of eggs scattered 
over an area of 50 square miles seems very small, especially when it is 
remembered that they are placed in almost every conceivable situation 
upon the trunks, branches, and even the leaves of trees and shrubs, 
upon fences, the sides of houses, under stone walls, piazzas, board walks, 
etc. So far as my observations go the search for the eggs has been 
carefully done, though I have found masses of the eggs after the inspec- 
tion of the locality had been comjileted. Many similar cases have been 
reported; they should be considered as a criticism of the method rather 
than an indication that proper care had not been exercised, for as Prof. 
Fernald says, " it is not at all probable that one will find all the egg 
masses even with the most careful searching on the trees in a small 
orchard." 

Owing to a lack of time or insufficient force some of the most badly 
infested districts were not insiiected during the spring search. 

Early in May the committee turned their attention to destroying the 
larva3 by spraying with Paris green. After the visit of the United 
States Entomologist, about the middle of June, a nozzle that would 
throw a mist spray was obtained, an ordinary garden nozzle having 
l)een used up to that time. A tendency to cover too much ground in a 
given time was noticed, and also much unevenness in the effectiveness 
of the spraying. It is quite possible, however, that this unevenness 
due to inexperience was inevitable under the circumstances. 

Though this indiscriminate spraying undoubtedly did much good in 
lessening the ravages of the cankerworms, Orgyia, etc., it certainly in- 



80 

creased an already existing- strong feeling against the use of Paris 
green, and many land-owners did all in their power to annul or neutral- 
ize the work of the coumiittee. 

To prevent the larvai ascending the trees two methods were used ; 
the one consisting of a band of printer's ink and the other of strips of 
hagging. While (lie larva' were unable to cross the band of ink, its 
composition was such that it required renewal every few days, and its 
application left each tree with an ugly girdle and possibly did injury to 
the trees. Insect lime would have been ji desirable substitute. The 
strips of bagging served as a hiding place for any wandering larv;e, 
which were collected and destroyed. 

The work of inspecting vehicles passing out of the district was dis- 
continued after a trial of about two months; information as to the chief 
direction of travel from the infested district seems to have been the 
only result of this work. 

Considerable work was done in trimming trees, clearing away and 
burning rubbish, and in cementing holes in trees, fences, etc. The hab- 
its and natural history of the Ocneria as observed here differs some- 
what from the same in Europe. 

I have no evidence that it is double brooded. The winter is passed 
in the egg state. There is much irregularity in the hatching of larva*, 
they were first observed on April 15, in 1890, and on the 20th of the same 
month in 1891; they were abundant May 20. In 1891 larvfc hatched 
as late as June 17 and by the 10th of July young larva", fully grown 
larvae and all intermediate stages, pupiB and imagos were found. Thei 
young larvfe on hatching scatter, feed chiefly during the night, resting 
during the day upon the leaves, branches, etc. The tendency to wander 
increases with growth. In confinement they cluster together, eat more 
continuously and strip the twigs in a more methodical manner than ob- 
served in those feeding at large, rupa* Avere abundant July 10; this 
stage usually lasts from twelve to twenty days though several have 
given imagos after eight and nine days. 

The males fly lesuiily but the females are excessively sluggish; even 
when blown by the wind they have a marvellous faculty of getting to 
the ground or to the sheltered side of a tree or fence. The greatest 
distance I have seen one fly was a little short of G feet. The moths are 
not readily attracted by light. 

As is well known the Ocneria is a. most general feeder. I have found 
it on Linden {THia), Horse Chcstimt {Acscuhis), Maple {Acer), Pear, 
Cherry, Plum (Prmins), Eosc {Rom), Apple {Pi/nis), Ash {FrcLrinu.s), 
Elm {Ulmus), Hickory {Carya), Birch {Beinla), Alder {Alnux), Oak 
{Quercus), Beech {Fagus), Willow {Salix), and Poplar ( J'opiihi.s). It has 
also eaten, in confinement, Virginia Creeper {A)npt'l<)p.sis), Dogwood 
{Gornus), and Pringe-tree {(UiUntanihus). It refused Grape ( Vitis). 
Other records include Quince, Apricot, Pomegranate, Ibnmbeam, Hazel- 
nut, Lime, Norway Spiuce, Inarch, Pir, Azalea, Myrtle, Corn, Wisteria, 



81 

Cabbage, Chest iiut, Arbor Yitie, Yew, Ilex, Pine, Mes])iliis, Peach, 
Millet, Plane-tree, Hawthorn, Mulberry, and Strawberry. 

An interesting- point in connection with their ability to feed on so 
great a variety of plants is the facility with w^hich they can be changed 
from one food-plant to another. I have fed a number of larv.D all from 
a single niass of eggs, the food-plant of every one of which was differ- 
ent, and Avitli others have changed the food-plant every day during 
their entire larval history. The larvte of Ocneria are frequently found 
with the eggs of a Tachinid attached to them. Generally there is but a 
single L'g^, though sometimes two, three and four have been observed; 
they are usually on or near the head. In most of the cases that came 
under my observations the Ocneria moulted before the eggs of the 
Tachinid hatched. Two of the Tachinids which pupated August 19, 
gave images September 2. AnotLer fact which nuist lessen the value 
of this Tachinid as a destroyer of the Ocneria is a habit the larvse 
have of rubbing the head against some hard substance. This was 
observed several times, and in some cases i he eggs though not detached 
were injured. Although I can not state that rimpla pahdis is parasitic 
upon the Ocneria it has been very abundant in the infested region this 
year, and I think it very probable that it will be found among the para- 
ites of the Ocneria. 

Doubtless many birds will be found leeding upon the Ocneria. At 
this time there are but two species, the Yellow-billed Cuckoo and the 
Black-billed Cuckoo {Cocci/ziis (onericanus and C. erythropJdhahnus), that 
I can name as aiding quite materially in the destruction of the larvae. 
Among invertebrates the following can be named: Cicindcla fj-guttata, 
Camponofus hcrcuJanem, Sinea ffiadeina, an undetermined Syrphus, and 
Chrysopa, LithoMus forjicatus; also the following spiders: Epeira strix, 
Steatoda borealis, Lycosa sp., Drassus sp., Agalena ncvvia, Phidippus gal- 
athea {mi/.Htaceus), Epiblemum sGenicum, Marptnsa fmniUaris, and Tho- 
rn i.r us sp. 

While the original creation of the Commission and the subsequent 
transfer of the work to the State Board of Agriculture were warranted 
by the nature of the emergcncjy, it was undoubtedly a mistake to appoint 
men to look after such important work — work demanding, in the words 
of the appointing power, "prompt, judicious, and energetic action" — who 
were already more than occupied with other work. The fact that they 
were appointed witli the distinct understanding that their services 
should be given gratuitously, while not equivalent to saying that their 
services would l)e slight, does indicate that they would be secondary 
to more important affairs. 

And Awhile it is only just to the present committee to state that they 
have devoted more time to their work than could have been asked or 
expected, it is interesting to note that one of them is now in favor of 
at least a per diem compensation, and recently so testified before a leg- 
islative committee. 

21382— No. 26 6 



82 

The destruction of tbc Ociieria being primarily an entomological 
question, the need of an entomologist acting in constant concert witli 
tbc committee would seem to be undisputed. That there was no such 
person employed is proved by the ftict that the Committee allowed the 
most important month for spraying to pass w ithout procuring the most 
improved apparatus. 

The attention drawn to this insect should lead to the passage of a 
general law against insect and fungus pests. A State officer acting 
under the direction of the State Board of Agriculture could recommend 
to farmers and others the means to be used against noxious insects and 
fungi, and the law should be so framed that penalties could be imposed 
upon owners who took no i^recautions after due notice had been given. 
Some such legislation would soon bring the orchards and shade trees 
of Massachusetts into a more creditable condition, and the introduction 
of the Ocneria could be looked upon as a bcneEt rather than an 
injury. 



KEPORT OF APICULTLTEAL EXPEEIMENTS m 1891. 



By A. J. Cook. 



LETTER OF SUBMITTAL. 



Agricultural College, Mich., November 15, 1S91. 
Sir: I beg leave to submit tbe following report of experiments in apiculture for 
the season of 1891. It will be noticed that in this rei^ort the jilural pronoun has 
been used, and this is eminently proper, as Mr. John H. Larrabee has not only had 
charge of the work directly, but has aided very much by offering many excellent 
suggestions. 

Kespectfully, yours, 

A. J. Cook. 



The past season has been very unfavorable for apicultural experi- 
ments, not only in Michigan, but throughout the entire country. The 
secretion of nectar from clover, and indeed from nearly all other honey 
plants, was very meager indeed. In Michigan the season has been 
peculiar for drought and cold. The exceptionally cool temperature has 
been very general tln^oughout the country, while in many sections there 
has been an excess of rainfall. As the honey production has been very 
light in nearly all sections, it would seem that the low temperature 
might be the chief cause of the light honey crop for this season. 

SPECIAL PLANTING FOR HONEY. 

The experiments of this season have been a continuation of those of 
the past three years. The aim has been to determine whether it would 
be profitable or not to plant solely with the view of increasing the acre- 
age of honey plants, and so the production of honey. 

As the expense of planting, use of land, and danger of failure to 
secure a crop are considered, we easily see that we can not hope for 
a profitable return unless the plants have value besides for honey, are 
sure to give us honey despite the season, to grow when planted even 
though drought confronts us, to grow and thrive with but little care 
after planting, and to hold their own against insects, drought, and all 
(Jiscouragements, 



84 

THE CHAPMAN HONEY-PLANT. 

As this plant- lias been very higlily extolled, was lauded by a special 
committee selected to examine it, and has been Avidely distributed by 
Government, it was considered a desirable plant with which to experi- 
ment. 

Quite a large area was planted to this EcMnops splimroceplialus on two 
successive years. The soil was clay loam. The grouml was fitted as 
Avell as for corn, the seeds sown in drills, and cultivated the first season. 
The plants came well and grew remarkably well. They never blossom 
until the second season, so there are no returns the first year. This is 
the first serious objection to them as honey plants. The second summer 
the plants blossomed full. They were very vigorous and the blossoms 
very numerous. The bees seemed to visit the fiowers very freely. Mr. 
Th. W. Cowan, a celebrated apiarist of England, said to me some 
years since regarding this plant : " The bees hang around it persistently, 
but I could never see that the gain in honey in the hive was ever per- 
ceptible." I found the same true here. Actual weigliing showed very 
little gain, nor was our honey crop superior to that of our neighbors 
with no Echinops within range of their bees. The plants blossom from 
July 20 to August 20, at a good time and for a long season, if they were 
of any value. 

In the winter we cleaned the seed. Although previously warned, 
and conseciuently protected by veils and gloves, the barbed awns sought 
out our eyes and skin everywhere. The pain caused was intense. All 
who aided in cleaning the seed were in agony for several days. Even 
this alone would or should preclude this plant from general use. To 
my disappointment, these plants seemed to exhaust themselves this first 
season. The next year there were almost no blossoms, but new plants 
came up very thickly from seeds scattered the previous autumn. This 
failure of the plants to afibrd blossoms the third season from planting 
I know is not always true, as I have had blossoms for four years from 
])lants on sand. It is probable that when the plants are very luxuri- 
ant and are allowed to seed Ave can only count on a single crop of blos- 
soms. This season, the fourth from planting, we had a rather feeble 
growth of plants. The grass and weeds fought with the Echinops for 
the land and succeeded in so far that we secured a very meager quantity 
of bloom, and apparently no valuable results in our honey crop. Thus 
the failure to blossom the first year, the failure to secrete any large 
amount of nectar, the failure in many cases to bloom the third year, 
and the inability to compete with grass and other weeds without expen- 
sive aid, makes it certain that if any plants will pay for honey alone 
this is not one of them. 

THE ROCKY MOUNTAIN BEE PLANT. 

This plant {CJeome integrifoJia) has again been tried for the third year. 
That it is a very superior honey plant and blossoms at just the right 



85 

time, all tlirougli July and August, is certainly true ; but it is not a 
very pushing plant, and tlie seeds will not germinate unless exposed to 
tlie weather for months. Thus it is necessary to plant in August or 
September of the i)revious year if we expect a fair stand of this plant. 
When this is done, unless the land is very free from grass and weed 
seed, the latter will get the start, and our Cleome will be choked out. 
Thus 1 think we have proved that Cleome is only suitable for planting 
in waste places, when from its beauty and excellence as a honey plant 
it rivals even the Sweet Clover. 

There seems little doubt but that we should secure much honey from 
this plant were we to take the necessary pains to secure a full stand of 
acres of vigorous plants. But this can be done onlj^ at large expense, 
too large to ever pay in actual practice. 

RAPE. 

Knowing from the study of small plats, that have been grown here 
for years, that the Rape {Brassica campestris var. colza) and the mus- 
tards seemed especially attractive to the bees, and knowing that the 
former was regarded very highly by many farmers for pasture, especially 
for sheep, it was thought advisable this season to sow several acres of 
ground to this plant. Part of the laud was light sand and another part 
clay loam. As the plant blooms in about four weeks from seeding, we 
sowed it the middle of June. 

We are likely to have a severe drought at this time, and this year was 
no exception. The seed failed to germinate well, especially on the sand. 
By the middle of July both fields were in full bloom, yet the bees did 
not swarm on the llowers, as we had hoped they would, nor did the 
honey product seem aliected by the near presence of the rape. I am 
not sure that we gained any special advantage from it. If we did it 
was not perceptible. The weather for nearly all the time was very cool. 

I do not believe it will ever pay to sow rape specially for honey. If 
it is sowTi for pasture, as recommended in England and Ontario, there 
will be but little bloom, and so, even in favorable years, the beekeeper 
would receive but small advantage. If grown for seed there wonld be 
a profusion of bloom, and in favorable seasons the honey product would 
be without doubt greatly augmented. 

It is certainly wise for the apiarist to encourage and even urge the 
planting in his neighborhood of any and every useful honey plant, as 
Eai)e, Alsike, Clover, and Buckwheat. Oiten from unfavorable weather 
they will not aftbrd nectar, still they may bridge the whole distance 
between failure and success. 

SWEET CLOVER. 

Bee-keepers have long known that SAveet Clover {Melilofus alba), 
though often failing to secrete nectar, is still one of our first honey 
plants. It not only yields in favorable seasons very abundantly, but 



86 

the honey from it is very white and excellent. This ])lant is known as 
Melilot, Sweet ( 'lover, White Melilotus, and IJokhara Olover. While one 
or two anthorities, Prof. Thorne, of Ohio, and I'rof Tracey, of Missis- 
sippi, have stated that it possesses value as a fora<;e plant, the con- 
sensus of opinion throughout the country is that this luxuriant plant 
possesses little value to feed either green or as hay. It has been sown 
in many parts of the country by beekeepers and others in waste places 
and along roadsides, and in such locations has frequently added deci- 
dedly to the honey product. It is a ])eautiful plant, with a sweet per- 
fume, and may well replace Eagweed, Mayweed, Smartweed, etc., along 
our highways. 

We sowed several acres of this x)lant this spring, six on sand and three 
on clay. The drought came on and the ywung plants upon the sand 
withered and died. On the clay the catch was only ]iartially successful, 
but the plants have stooled and we think will produce a fairly good crop 
of bloom. It is our purj^ose to see if it may not be a valuable silage 
plant. It surely produces abundantly. If it will be appetizing as silage 
so as to possess value to the farmer then from its double value as a 
silage plant and a most excellent honey plant it may well be grown by 
the bee-keeping farmer and may be urged conscientiously by the ai)iarist 
upon his neighbor farmer. This plant, like nearly all the clovers, is a 
biennial, and so we must wait till next year to comx)lete our experi- 
ment, when we hope to prove that Melilotus is valuable for silage. 

Our conclusions thus far are that special planting for honey will 
never pay. Unless we can find a plant that will always secrete nectar, 
and, as seasons of honey failure occur in all countries, we conclude that 
none such exist, and we certainly can not aflbrd the expense and labor. 

We think our experiments warrant this conclusion. That it may 
and often has paid well to scatter seeds of Sweet Clover in waste places 
there is no possible doubt. Along the roadside this plant may well 
replace such utterly worthless and ugly plants as Eagweed — species of 
Ambrosia, and Mayweed — Maruta cotula. The first year's growth and 
the second till after bloom are very handsome. After bloom the dry 
ugly stock may be cut, when the undergrowth from the seeds of the 
present year will make a pleasing border to the road. Cleome may also 
be planted in all waste places. This has been done with excellent re- 
sults in Minnesota and Wisconsin. It is a very handsome plant, and 
like Sweet Clover is easily subdued if not wanted. In case this is de- 
sired the seeds should be planted early, as early as August or Septem- 
ber, else they will not germinate well the following season. 

BEES AS FERTILIZERS. 

Spraying fruit trees in early spring to prevent the ravages of various 
insects is becoming very common. Spraying trees while in bloom is 
very likely to poison the nectar and destroy the Honey Bee. This has 
been done in several cases. Not only have the mature bees been poi- 



87 

soned, but the brood lias also been destroyed. The fact that doubt has 
been expressed in reference to such poisoning, and the fact that even 
legislators have expressed disbelief in the value of bees to horticultur- 
ists, led to the following experiments : 

Bees in cages were given foliage si)rayed with sweetened water, and 
in other precisely similar cages the same sweetened water in which 
London purple had been mixed in the proportion of 1 pound to 200 gal- 
lons of water. The bees in the first cages were in no way affected, 
while the others were all dead in thirty six hours, and in many cases 
in twenty-four hours. 

Thus we have positive proof, both in the field and from laboratory 
experiment, that bees are very susceptible to the iioisonous effects of 
tLe arsenites, and that to spray fruit trees while in bloom always en- 
dangers the lives of all bees that visit the flowers. In the other ex- 
periments we desired to learn how important bees were in the work of 
fertilization and cross-fertilization of plants. Trees examined in May 
while in bloom showed twenty bees to one of other kinds of insects. 
On a rather cold day, such as are likely to occur in time of fruit bloom, 
hundreds of Honey Bees were found at work on the apple bloom, while 
almost no other insects were to be seen. 

In the following experiment the same number of blossoms were 
counted on each of two adjacent branches on various trees, shrubs, 
and j)lants. In each case one lot was marked by a tag giving the date 
of the experiment, while the other was surrounded by cheese cloth 
just before the blossoms opened, thus precluding the visits of all insects 
from this lot, except such very small ones as Thrips, Jassids, etc., which 
were so small that they would escape notice. After the blossoms with- 
ered the covers were removed, and two weeks later examination was 
made to note the results. The following table gives the results of the 
this exj)eriment: 



Variety. 


Date cov- 
ered. 


Date 
uncov- 
ered. 


Number 
of blos- 
soms. 


Date 
exam- 
ined. 


Fruit 
set. 


Fruit 

set on 
compar- 
ison. 


Remarks. 




May 4 
May 4 
May 4 
May 4 
May 4 
May 4 
May 18 
May 18 
May 18 
May 26 

May 30 
May 30 

June 12 
June 5 


May 25 
MaV 19 
May 19 
May 19 
May 19 
May 19 
June 16 
June 16 
June 16 
July 6 

July 6 
July 6 

July 30 
July 30 


40 
75 
200 
100 
140 
300 
60 
212 
123 
2 canes.. 

184 
1 cane. .. 

10 heads . 
10 heads. 


June 11 
June 11 
June 11 
June 11 
June 11 
June 11 
June 22 
June 22 
June 22 
July 6 

July 6 
July 6 

July 30 
July 30 







9 
9 

80 
20 


15 

3 

3 

9 

7 

119 

27 

104 

36 




Do::::::".".: 




Crab Apple 


Affected by the frost. 










Strawberries ... 
Do 




Do 

Raspberries 

Do 

Do 


As many perfect berries as 
on canes not covered. 

Ko difference by count or 
appearance of fruit. 


93 


100 


Red Clover 

White Clover . . 






191 
541 



In the case of the strawberries boxes covered with cheesecloth were 
set over the plants. As these stood on the ground, of course insects may 



88 

have come ni) from the earlli. Thus a few insects may haA^e gained ac- 
cess to the tlowers, as we note that the phiiits were covered for about 
a month. 

We see that in every case the fruit was greatly lessened, if we excei)t 
the two (tases of raspberries. In several cases, notably those of the 
clovers, uo fruit or seeds were secured in the covered specimens. The 
stiawberries seem less affected than any other of the plants, except the 
two cases of the rasi)berries. This may be owing, as suggested above, 
to the presence of insects that could come up from the earth beneath 
the phmts. Perhaps strawberries, when the blossoms contain both sta- 
mens and pistils, are less dependent on insects than many other fruits. 
The two cases of raspberries are curious. We can not exjilain them. 
The fact is very apparent that fruit-growers are nearly or quite as much 
interested in the presence of bees as are the bee-keepers. Pomologists 
then may well join hands with the apiarists in demanding and securing 
a hiAv making it a grave misdemeanor to spray fruit trees while they 
are in bloom. 

EXPERIMENTS IN BREEDING. 

That bees, like all other organisms, are greatly subject to variation is 
known to every bee-keeper. That they can be greatly imi^roved by 
careful selection is equally well understood by all observant queen- 
breeders. The mating habits of bees are such as to make experimenta- 
tion in breeding difficult, but the obstacles are not unsurmountable. 
We are working to overcome them and to de\'elop a superior strain of 
bees by judicious crossing and selection. This is slow work, and we 
can hope for decided results only after a long period. 

Our stock is ftom Syrian and Carniolan, and, as the former predomi- 
nates, we have this season bred very largely from Carniolan. Several 
of the most prolitic queens are selected, and it is our purpose to use the 
ones from these that winter the best the coming winter for breeding- 
next season. We shall try to test the Punic bees and, if they show 
superiority, introduce some of this blood. 

Besides the above, several other experiments of amiscclhnieous char- 
acter have been conducted which are of more or h^ss interest. 

CONSUMPTION OF HONEY IN THIO SEOKETION OP WAX. 

This experiment ^vas i)erformed that Ave might determine how much 
honey it requires to enable the bees to secrete 1 pound of wax. Three 
colonies were taken, which we will designate as No. 1, No. 2, and No. 3, 
the bees of which weighed (i-^, 8^, and 5:^ pounds, respectively. No. 1 
was given a virgin queen and no comb or honey. No. 2 was given a 
virgin queen and empty combs. No. 3 was given a laying queen and 
empty combs. A vigorous colony on scales during the experiment 
gained 4i i)ounds. The bees did not fly from these hives as vigorously 
as from hives not in the experiment. The feeding doubtless had some- 



89 

tiling to do with this. No. 3 seemed to gather more honey and to be in 
a more normal condition than Nos. 1 and 2. No. 3 had a full frame of 
brood nearly ready to seal at the expiration of the exiierimeut. Angnst 
If), 28 per cent of the bees in No. 1 had wax scales, while none of No. 
2 that were examined had wax scales. The experiment commenced 
Angust 11. The bees of each colony were fed 21 pounds of honey. 
The exjieriment lasted ten days. 



Weight of bees August 11 

Total weight August 11, 7 p. in 

Total weight August 22. 7 a. in 

CJain in weight in ten days 

Total amount of feed given 

M'eiglit of honey extracted August 22 

Loss in honey fed 

tiaiu in wt-iglit in ten days 

Wax secreted by Xo. 1 

Pollen in eonibs at end 

Total wtiglit ivuioved at elose 

Apparent detiiiency due to seah's 

(Jain in weight of Xo. 2 over Xo. 1 8 pounds. 



Xo. 1. 



Po^mds. 

6i 
35 
46 
11 
21 

9 

12 

11 

*lli 

X 

2 

10.i 



Xo. 2. 



Pounds. 

«4 

43 
62 
19 
21 



^ 
18 
1 



Xo. 3. 



Pottndg. 

4()J 

an 

2ll| 
21 
18 
3 
201 



* Ounces. t Weight of young brood and pollen. 

Hi : 8 ^ 16 : X, or about 11 pouuds liouey to 1 pound of wax. 

This experiment gives 11 pounds of honey as the amount necessary 
to secrete 1 pound of wax. lluber decided, as the result of careful ex- 
perimentation, upon 20 pounds as the amount, while Viallon and Hasty 
concluded that the amonnt was less even than we have found in the 
above. Of course, in such experiments there will be errors, as from the 
conditions the colony is not kept in an absolutely normal condition. 
No brood-rearing should be allowed, and so virgin queens were given to 
colonies. Whether the bees work with less vigor physically or physio 
logically when a laying queen is replaced by a virgin, I can not say. 

We thought over the experiment a long time and concluded on the 
above as the nearest approach to the normal of any plan we could de- 
cide upon. 

The results from colony No. 3, which was normal, show that the error 
was not great. A repetition will add correctness to the experiment. 
We shall hope to repeat it another year. We believe the results are 
not very wide of the truth in actually normal conditions. 

DO WORKER BEES FEED THE DRONES? 

Several times in the past we have tried experiments to determine 
whether the worker bees fed the drones, as they do the queen and 
larv;e, the albuminous portion of their food. We know that drones are 
great honey-consumers. It is reasonable to suppose that they are 
equally great consumers of the albuminous food or bee bread. There 
is little or no doubt that the upper head glands of the younger worker 
bees secrete the liquid that digests the pollen. These glands are 
large and turgid in the young or nurse bees, shrunken and inactive in 



90 

old worker bees, and absent in the drones and queens. From analogy, 
then, we would reason that the queen, drones, and older workers — 
the bees that do the outside work — as well as the larvae, are fed the 
digested pollen, whieh is rich nitrogenous food. If this is true, and 
there can be no longer any doubt, then we have double reasons to re- 
duce the number of drones in the apiary, to save honey and pollen and 
also the energy of the nurse bees. 

To prove this point we repeated the previous experiments of caging 
drones in the hive behind a single wire gauze, a double wire gauze, the 
space between being more than 0.26 of an inch, which is the maximum 
length of the worker's tongue, and a perforated zinc cage. Honey was 
placed in each cage in such a manner as not to daub any bees. In the 
first kind of cage the bees could reach the drones througli the single 
gauze, though at some inconvenience, so as to feed them the digested 
food. In the second cages this would be impossible and the drones 
could only get honey for food. In the third cages the drones were con- 
fined, but could be and were freely visited by the worker bees, as the 
workers could pass freely through the zinc, which the drones could not 
do. In the single wire-cloth cages the drones appeared somewhat neg- 
lected after several days. Tiiey lived from four to seven days, while in 
the cages with double wire cloth none lived over three days, and they 
generally died inside of forty eight hours. Those confined in cages cov- 
ered with perforated zinc li^'ed for over two weelcs and would probably 
have lived nuu'h longer. 

These experiments agree very closely with those previously tried. 

THE CONDUCTIVITY OF WAX. 

It is a common j)ractice among bee-keepers to confine the bees in 
winter to a portion of the hive, thus to economize heat and the better to 
preserve the health and vigor of the bees. Some experiments by Prof. 
Gaston Bonnier, of Paris, France, seem to show that the combs are as 
good a protection as is a division board, especially if fastened to close- 
fitting frames, or, as in nature, to the side of the hive. To test this 
matter we used a common division board, a close-fitting empty comb, 
and a close-fitting comb full of honey These were used successively 
to confine the bees to one part of the hive and leave a vacant space on 
the other side. A thermometer was suspended in this empty space 
and the temperature observed several times daily, and estimates 
made with reference to the outside temperature. The averages showed 
no difference with respect to the division board and the empty comb, 
but did show a slight difference in favor of the comb full of honey. 
We then used an empty hive, dividing it into three compartments by 
means of a division board of wood and of empty comb, and again by the 
use of the wooden board and a full comb of honey, the combs being made 
equally tight-fitting with the wooden division board. A small lamp 
was placed in the middle apartment and thermometers in the other 



91 

two. The hive was placed in the cellar where the thermometer marked 
a temperature of 58° F. The temperature in the compartment of the 
hive with the lamp was 110° F. As between the board and empty 
comb tliere was no difference in the temperature in the outer compart- 
ments, while with the comb of honey the temperature was 4| degrees 
cooler beyond the division, showing this to be a poorer conductor of 
heat and a better protection for the bees than either the board or empty 
comb. 

Thus we see that for winter protection special division boards are 
unnecessary if we but use close-fitting frames of comb or make such 
frames close fitting in the winter time. It is also apparent that combs 
full of honey are better as nonconductors than are empty combs. Thus 
in nature bees are well fortified against the cold of winter, as they are 
combs walled in on each side by several full combs, which are fastened to 
the side of the receptacle. We also see that close-fitting frames or else 
frames with wide or close-fitting top and end bars are better to protect 
the bees than are the common Langstroth frames. It is easy to see 
from the above why box hives and hives with close-fitting frames, like 
the Heddon, are well arranged to secure success in wintering. 

CELLAR vs. OUTDOOR WINTERING. 

In the more northern latitudes of the United States bees winter bet- 
ter as a general thing and consume less honey in the cellar than on 
the summer stands, even though packed or kept in chaff hives. The 
last winter was an exception. Our bees in chaff hives wintered out of 
doors consumed less honey apparently and were certainly in better 
condition in the spring than were those wintered in the cellar. If we 
could be sure of such mild winters as the last two have been, cellars for 
wintering would certainly go out of use. Hence it is to be feared that 
many bee-keepers will become confident, forgetting the cold and disas- 
trous winters of the past, and soon there may come a return of the 
severe cold and the mortality among the bees will be as terribly dis- 
astrous as in the worst winters of the past. It is well to prepare for 
war in time of peace. The wise bee keeper will arrange each autumn 
for a severe winter. Then he will be safe in any event. 

PACKING ABOUT THE HIVES IN SPRING. 

We have proved for the past two or three springs prior to that of 
1891 that to pack closely about the hives with excelsior or other jjoor 
conductors, confining the same by a large, well-covered case set around 
the hive, has paid exceedingly well for the expense of the case and the 
labor of adjusting it and the packing. The past spring we could see no 
such advantage. The unprotected colonies gained as rapidly and were 
as strong in May as were those in the hives that were protected. The 
explanation is not far to seek. The last spring was very mild and bees 



92 

sntt'eied very littlo in any kind of liive. Usually we liave many very 
cold l)leak days iu April and early May; then protection pays exceed- 
in<;ly well. The i)riuciple is a good one, " It pays to protect." Occa- 
sionally we have a spring like that of 1891, when it is unnecessary, but 
we should conduct our business for the general, not the exceptional. 



INDEX 



Aphfenogaster falva, attacking Paohjrrliin.i, 74. 
Apiciilkiral experiments', rejmrt of, 83. 
Anasa tri.stia, attempt to colonize mite on, 43. 

thymo-crosol useless against, 44. 
Ajiantelea glomeratus, advent in Missouri, 43. 

increase in Iowa, 61. 
Aphelinus fnscipennis, parasite of A-siiidiotus 
convexus, 20. 

mytilaspidis, parasite of San Jos6 scale, 22. 
AphididfB, thymo-cresol against, 44. 
Aphis cornicola, notes on, 59. 

grain, in Mi8.souri, 37. 

maidis, m., 59. 

prnnifolia, destrnctiveness in Iowa, 58. 

woolly, of apple, in Missouri, 36. 
Scymnus lar\'a destroying, 17. 
Apple maggot, in Iowa, 62. 
Aspidiotus aurantii, food-plants of, 15. 
rotes on, 14. 

citrinns, thymo-cresol against, 35. 

convexus, notes on, 20. 

nerii, notes on, 20. 

pemiciosus, notes on, 21. 

rapax, notes on, 25. 
Beehives, spring packing for, 01. 
Bee-plant, Rocky Mountain, expts. with, 84. 
Bees, as fertilizers of plants, 86. 

cellar vs. outdoor wintering for, 91. 

experiments in breeding. 88. 

worker, do tliey feed drones. 89. 
Bihio albipennis, wrongly reported injurious, 57. 
Black smut, cau.'^ed by Capnodium citri, 19. 
Black scale, fungus attacking, 18. 

enemies of, 30. 

habits of, 28. 

resin wash against, 19. 

treatment of, 32. 
Black Tartarian cherry, exempt from San Jose 

scale, 22. 
Blastobasis iceryicella, feeding on black scale, 30. 
Blissus leucopterus, in Missouri, 37. 
Boll worm, broods and hibernation, 46. 

characters and transformations, 46 

distribution and destructiveness, 45. 

food-plants, 46. 

investigation of, 45. 

lights for trapping, 53. 

natural enemies, 47. 

poisoned sweets against, 52. 

ravages mixtaken for tho.sc of, 48. 

remedies against, 48. 



Brassica campestris var. colza, as a honey plant, 85. 
Brown apricot scale, notes on, 34. 
Brown scale, notes on, 26. 
Briiner, Lawrence, report of, 9. 
Cabbage butterfly, in Nebraska, 11. 
thymo-cresol against, 44. 

insects, in Nebraska, 11. 

Plusia=Plusia brassicie. 

-worm disease, 55. 

-worm, increase of parasite of, 01. 

-worm parasite, advent in Missouri, 43. 
Calocoris rapidus, on cotton, 48. 
California Lace-wing, feeding on red scale, 17. 
Capnodimn citri, fungus of orange, etc., 19. 
Capsid enemy of Heliothis, 48. 
Catocala grynea, an orchard pest, 40. 
Chamyris cerintha, on plum, 40. 
Chapman honey plant, expts. with, 84. 
Chermes sp. ?, on post oak, 39. 
Chicken louse, thymo-cresol against, 44. 
Chilocorus bivulnerus, enemy of scale insects, 30. 

enemy of red scale, 15. 
Chinch bug in Missouri, 26. 
Chionaspis furfurus, thymo-cresol against, 44. 
Chrj'sopa californica, feeding on red scale, 17. 
Cleonie integrifolia, expts. with, 84. 
Clisiocampa disstria, in Minnesota, 40. 
Clover hay-wonn, in Ohio, 63. 
Clover-seed caterjiillar in Iowa, 60. 

midge, in Iowa, 59. 
Clover, sweet, as a honey plant, 85. 
Clover Thrip8=rhl(eothrip8 nigra. 
Coccid, post oak, in Missouri, 39. 
Coccophagus citrinns, parasite of San Jos6 scale, 22. 

lecanii, parasitic on scale-insects, 26. 
Colaspis prretexta, attempt to colonize mite on, 42. 

tristis, attempt to colonize mite on, 42. 
Conotrachelus nenuphar, in Missouri, 37. 
Convex scale, notes on, 20. 
Cook, A. J., apicultural report of, 83. 
Coquillett, J). W.. report by, 13. 
Corn, boll worm work on, 49. 
Corn root worm, in Nebraska, 9. 
Cottony-cushion scale, see Fluted scale. 
Cottony maple scale, in St. Louis, 39. 
Cow-pea, as trap for boll worm, 52. 
Crane-flies, bird enemies of, 74. 

report on, 65. 
Cucumber-beetle, striped, its Uropoda parasite, 42 

twelve-spotted, thymo-cresol useless against. 



44 



93 



94 



Cutworms, in Missouri in 1891, 38. 
Cutwornis, on sugar beet, 11. 
Diabrotica longicornis, in Nebraska, 9. 
on sugar beet, 11. 
vittata, attempt to colonize Uropoda upon, 42. 

on sugar beet, 11. 
12-punctata, thymo-cresol useless against, 44. 
Dilophogaster califomica, parasite of black scale, 

31. 
Diplodus renardii, preying upon Chalcidids, 31. 
Diplosis tritici, investigated in Ohio, 65. 
Dogwood Aphis = Aphis cornicola. 
Doryphora 10-lineata, attempt to colonize Uropoda 

parasite on, 42. 
Ediinops sphsrocephalus, expts. with, 84. 
Edema albifrons, in Missouri, 40. 
Eleodes opaca, Tachina on, 12. 
tricostata, on cabbage, 11. 
Empusa pacbyrrhiniB, fungus onPachyrrhina, 71. 
Encyrtus flavus, bred from Lecaniumhesperidum, 

26. 
Entomological notes for 1891 in Missouri, 36. 
Flavescent clover weevils Sitones flavescens. 
Fluted scale, subjugated by Vedalia, 13. 
Frosted scale, notes on, 33. 
Goniocotes hologaster, expts. against, 44. 
Gooseberry span-worm, in Nebraska, 10. 
Grape curculio, trip to investigate, 63. 
Grapholitha interstinctana, in Iowa, 60. 
Greedy scale, notes on, 25. 
Gypsy moth, birds feeding upon, 81. 
food-plants of, 80. 
legislation against, 76. 
line of work employed against, 79. 
region infested by, 78. 
report upon, 75. 
Harlequin cabbage-bug, in Missouri, 37. 
remedies against, 38. 
tbymo-cresol, useless against, 44. 
Hari);ilus caliginosiis, probableenemy of Tipula,70. 
pennsj'lvanicus, probable enemy of Tipula,70. 
Harris's apple scale, thymo-crcsol against, 44. 
Heliothis armigera, investigation of, 45. 
Hcmiptera, attempt to colonize Uropoda ameri- 

cana on, 43. 
Hemipterous insects on cotton, 48. 
Hemispherical scale, notes on, 27. 
Henshaw, Samuel, report of, 75. 
Hesperomyces virescens, on Chilocorus, 16. 
Hessian fly, remarks on, 63. 

report on, 65. 
Hippodamia convergens, on sugar beet, 11. 
Honey, consumption of, in the secretion of wax, 88. 

special planting for, 83. 
Hoi>perdozers, for Iciif-hoppers and locusts, 60. 
Hydrocyanic gas treatment, reference, 19. 
Hyphantria cunea, Plochionus timidus destroy- 
ing, 41. 
Icerya purchasi, kept in subjection by Vedalia 

cardinalis, 13. 
Insect depredations in Nebraska, report on, 9. 

diseases, and their relation to boll worm, 54. 
Insects of the season in Iowa, 57. 
Insect ravages mistaken for those of boll worm, 48. 
Insecticides, experiments with, 43. 
Isodromus iceryir, parasite of ("lirysopa, 17. 
JgOSPma grande, ip Missouri, 3?. 



Joint worm, in Missouri, 37. 

Kermes camellia", possibly synonymous with As- 

pidiotus rapax, 25. 
Lahoulbeniaccie, parasitism of, 16. 
Lace-wings, cannibalistic habits of, 17, 18. 
Lachnosterna, work on biology of, 64. 
fusca, work on biology of, 64. 
gibbosa, work on biology of, 64. 
hirticula, work on biologj- of, 64. 
Ladybird, Australian, fluted scale kept in sub- 
jection by, 13. 

twice-stabbed, enemy of scale-insects, 1 5, 30. 
(Scymnus) feeding on red scale, 16. 
Largus cinctus, damaging cotton, 48. 
Leaf-hoppers, grass, hopperdozer against, 60. 
Lecanium fllicum, 27. 

hemisphaericum, notes on, 27. 
hesperidum, notes on, 26. 

thymo-crcsol against, 35. 
hibemaculorvim, 27. 
oleaj, fungus attacking, 18. 
habits of, 28. 
resin wash against, 19. 
pruinosum, notes on, 33. 
sp., notes on, 34, 
Lema trilineata, attempt to colonize mite on, 42. 
Limneria flavicincta, parasite of Orgyia. 40. 
Locusts, abundant in Iowa, 60. 
Lyda sp., on wild plum, 10. 
Mally, F. W., report by, 45. 
Maple-worm, green-striped, in Nebraska, 10. 
Melilotus alba as a honey plant, 85. 
Meliola cltri, fungus on citrus trees, 19. 
Monoxia guttulata on sugar beet, 11. 
Murgantia histrionica in Missouri, 37. 
remedies against, 38. 
thymo-cresol useless against, 44. 
Murtfeldt, Mary E., report of, 36. 
Myziis persicfe, destructiveness in Iowa, 58. 
Nephelodes violans, abundant in Missouri, 38. 
Ocneria dispar, report upon, 75. 
Oleander scale, notes on, 20. 
Orgyia leucostigma in St. Louis, 39. 
Orsodacbna atra on peach blossoms, 38. 
Orborn, Herbert, report of, 57. 
Pachyrrhina sp., notes on, 70. 

oviposition of, 72. 
Perilampus sp., bred from Chrysopa, 18. 

preyed upon by Diplodus, 31. 
Phloeothrips nigra, on clover in Iowa, 60. 
Pieris rapa>, increase of parasite of, 61. 

parasites of, 43. 
Plant-lice, abundant in Iowa, 58. 
Plant-louse, dogwood, notes on, 59. 
wheat, abundance in Iowa, 58. 
Plochionus timidus, enemy of Hyphantria 

cunea, 41. 
Plum curculio, in Missouri, 37. 
Plusia brassicae, disease of, 55. 
Pteromalus sp., bred from Chrysopa, 18. 
Pterostichus femoralis, probably iin enemy of 
Tipula, 70. 
lucublandns, probable enemy of crane-flies, 
70. 
Pyralid» on cotton, 48. 
Pyretbriim, against boll worm, 53. 
Quercus obtusiloba, OUovmes sp. on, Sp. 



95 



Rape as a honey plant, 85. 
Eed scale, fungus attacking, 18. 

notes on, 14. 

remedies for, 19. 
Red spider, resin wash against, 19. 
Resin wash against scale-insects, 19. 
Robber fly capturing boU worms, 47. 
Rose scale, thymo-cresol against, 44. 
San Jo86 scale, enemies of, 22. 

habits of, 21. 

remedies for, 23. 
Scale-insects killed by fungus, 18. 

of California, report on, 13. 
Schizoneura, on dogwood, 59. 

lanigera, in Missouri, 36. 
Scymnus larva destroying, 17. 
Scymnus sp., larva feeding on red scale, 16. 
' Semiotellus nigripos, colonization of, 64. 
"Sharpshooters" on cotton, 48. 
SimuHum, trip to investigate, 6:j. 
Siphonophora avenae, abundance in Iowa, 58. 

in Missouri, 37. 
Sitones flavescens, abundance in Iowa, 60. 
Soft scale, notes on, 26. 

thymo-cresol against, 35. 
Solenopsis geminata, capturing boll worms, 47. 
Spiders, enemies of lace- wings, 18. 
Spraying injurious to honey bees, 86-88. 
Squash bug, thymo-cresol useless against, 44. 
Sugar-beet insecta, in Nebraska, lU. 



Sweet clover, as a honey plant, 85. 
Tachina (fly) on Eleodes, 12. 
Tent-caterpillar, forest, observations on, 40. 
Tetranychus sp., resin wash against, 19. 

bred from Chrysopa, 17. 
Thecla poeas, on cotton, 48. 
Thymo-cresol, as an insecticide, 35, 43. 

useless against Harlequin cabbage-bug, 37. 
Tijmla august ipennis, notes on, 6C. 

bicornis, description of preparatory stages, 69. 
notes on, 66. 

costalis, notes on, 73. 

oleracea, notes on oviposition, 68. 

trivittata, note ou oviposition, 68. 
Tipulida?, work on, 64. 
Tortricids, on cotton, 48. 
Trichogramma pretiosa, egg parasite of boll worm, 

47. 
Triphleps insidiosus, enemy of Heliothis, 48. 
Tussock moth, white-marked, in St. Louis, 39. 
Uropoda americana, attempts to colonize, 42. 
Vedalia cardinalis, Icerya subjugated by, 13. 
Wax, conductivity of, 90. 
"Webster, F. M., report of, 63. 
Web-worm, fall, Plochionustimidus destroying, 41 

tiger, enemy of fall web-worm, 41, 
Wheat midge, investigated in Ohio, 65. 
White-winged Bibio=Bibio albipennis. 
Yellow scale, thymo-cresol against, 35. 



U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 

division of entomology. 

Bulletin No. 30. 



REPO RTS 



OBSERVATIONS AND EXPERIMENTS 



THE PRACTICAL WORK OF THE DIVISION, 



UNDER THE DIRECTION OF THE ENTOMOLOGIST. 



(PUBLfferiED BY AUTHORITY OK THE SECRETARY OF AGRICULTURE.) 



WASHINGTON: 

GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE. 
1893. 



U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, 
division of entomology. 

Bulletin No. 30, 



REPORTS 



OBSERVATIONS AND EXPERIMENTS 



IN 



THE PRACTICAL WORK OF THE DIVISION, 



UNDER THE DIRECTION OF THE ENTOMOLOGIST. 



(PUBLISHED BY AUTHORITY OF THE SECRETARY OF AGRICULTURE.) 



k 



WASHINGTON: 

GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE. 
1893. 



-^ 






^ 

>» 






CONTENTS. 



Page. 

Letter of tuansmittal 5 

Introduction 7 

Report on some of the Beneficial and Injurious Insects of Califor- 
nia D. W. Coquillett 9 

Report upon Insect Injuries in Nebraska during the Summer of 

1892 Lawrence Bruner 34 

Report ox Insects of the Season in Iowa Herbert Orhorn 42 

Entomological Notes for the Season of 1892 Mary E. Murtfeldt 49 

Report on Experuients in Apiculture, 1892 J. H. Larrabee 57 

3 



LEHER OF TRANSMITTAL. 



U. S. Department of Agriculture, 

Division of Entomology, 
WasMngton, I). C, March 55, 1893. 
Sir: I have the honor to transmit for publication Bulletin No. 30 of 
this Division. It comprises the reports of the field agents of the Divi- 
sion for the past year (1892), a summary of which has been included in 
my annual report. 
Eespectfully, 

0. V. Riley, 

Entomologist. 
Hon. J. Sterling Morton, 

Secretary of Agriculture. 

6 



REPORTS OF OBSERVATIONS AND EXPERIMENTS IN THE 
PRACTICAL WORK OF THE DIVISION. 



rN^TRODUCTIOK 

Tlie present bulletin is a continuation of tbe series of annual reports 
of the field agents of the Division, Bulletins 22, 23, and 26 of this Divi- 
sion comxirising those for 1889, 1890, and 1S91, respectively. 

Mr. Koebele's continued absence in Australia up to the middle of the 
summer, and other duties connected with the closing up of his last 
Australian mission, have occupied his time to such an extent that no 
regular report from him is included. 

Owing to the reduction in the appropriations for the Division, Mr. F. 
M. Webster, in Ohio, and the apicultural agent, Mr. J. H. Larrabee, 
in Michigan, were suspended from duty July 1, 1892. The former was 
immediately appointed entomologist of the Ohio Agricultural Experi- 
ment Station, and has made no rej)ort upon his operations as agent of 
the Division for the first six months of the year. 

Mr. Larrabee, however, has sent in a somewhat full report upon the 
experimental work in apiculture, which is published herewith, and Avhich 
will be found of interest to apiarists. Accounts of his experiments upon 
the important questions of cross-breeding, temporary removal of the 
queen to prevent swarming, the amount of honey consumed by bees in 
secreting one pound of wax, the cultivation of honey plants, and others, 
are included. 

Mr. D. W. Coquillett, agent at Los Angeles, Cal., reports in full 
upon his experiments with the beneficial insects received from Mr. 
Koebele from Australia and New Zealand, giving detailed descrij)tions 
of the different states of the species brought over. He also treats of 
a span-worm {Boarmia phimigeraria Hulst), which has lately proved 
very injurious to Walnut in parts of California, and closes with some 
account of experiments against the Codling Moth and a few other 
insects which have been injurious to fruit trees in California during 
the year. 

The Nebraska agent, Mr. Lawrence Bruner, reports upon the outlook 
for destructive locusts, but devotes the main part of his report to a 
consideration of certain sugar-beet insects, closing with a short sum- 
mary of the miscellaneous injurious insects of the season. 

7 



8 

The Iowa agent, Prof. Herbert Osborn, gives a general summary of 
the injurious insects of Iowa for the season of 1892, reports upon 
further experiments upon grass insects, and gives an account of cer- 
tain tests made with the White Grub fungus of Europe against our 
American species. 

The Missouri agent, Miss Mary E. Murtfeldt (who was also fur- 
loughed at the close of the last fiscal year on account of the reduction 
in the appropriation), gives in her report an account of certain insects 
which have been prominent in her vicinity duriug the season, bringing 
out, notably, an important point in the life-history of the Cabbage 
Curculio, and describing a serious attack upon Spinach by a small 
leaf-beetle. 

C. V. E. 



REPOET OX SOME OF TOE BEN^EFICIAL AND INJURIOUS 
INSECTS OF CALIFORNIA. 



By D. W. COQUILLETT. 



LETTER OF SUBMITTAL. 

Los Angeles, Cal., November 3, 1802. 

Sir: I submit herewith my annual report for the year 1892. The major portion of 
this report consists of an account of the beneficial insects sent to me from Australia 
and New Zealand by Mr. Albert Koebele under your directions. The caring for these 
insects and the working out of the life history of the most important ones has con- 
sumed a lai'ge portion of my time during the past season. The present indications 
are that the Orcus australasiw will prove of more benefit than any other of these 
recently introduced species. 

Early in the season reports were received of the occurrence in destructive numbers 
of certain kinds of caterpillars or sj)an-worms, in the counties of Santa Barbara, 
Alameda, and Santa Clara; and in accordance with your instructions I visited each 
of these localities, and spent several days in investigating these destructive insects. 
The species causing the damage in Santa Barbara County proved to be a kind of 
span-worm which had occasioned consideralde injury to the leaves of English wal- 
nut trees; an account of this pest is given in the following pages. The principal 
depredator in Alameda and Santa Clara counties proved to be also a span-worm or 
canker-worm, closely resembling the well known Fall Canker-worm {Anisopteryx 
pometaria Harr.), but as the moths have not yet issued the species can not be deter- 
mined at present, but will be rei)orted upon later. 

The Fluted or Cottony-cushion Scale (Icerya purchasi Mask.), is still held in subjec- 
tion by the Vedalia cardinalis. Since sending in my last annual report I have, at 
your instance, sent colonies of this useful insect to New Zealand, South Africa, and 
Egypt, besides sending a large number of colonies to various parts of this State. 

The treatment with hydrocyanic acid gas is coming into more general use and con- 
tinues to be the most effectual remedy at present known for the extermination of 
the various kinds of scale-insects. The sheet fumigator, described in my letter to 
you of March 18, and published in the June number of Insect Life, is more widely 
used than any other kind, being less expensive and easier to operate than those here- 
tofore in use. During the present season the supervisors of Los Angeles County 
instructed Mr. John Scott, the horticultural commissioner, to purchase seventy tents 
and the necessary chemicals, and to fumigate tlie infested trees at cost to the owners. 
The city of Riverside has also purchased a large fumigating outfit with which to 
exterminate any scale-insects that may be introduced there, and the citizens of Ana- 
heim, iu the adjoining county of Orange, have also purchased a fumigating outfit 
and have treated nearly all of the infested trees in that vicinity. From the States 
of Louisiana and Florida I have received letters iu relation to this treatment, and 

9 



10 

the entomologist of the esperimeut station in the former State, Mr. H. A. Morgan, 
recently wrote me that he was making preparations to test it on certain kinds of 
scale-insects infesting orange trees in his State. 

As in former years, I am greatly indebted to you for numerous favors, especially 
in the matter of identifying insects, for all of which please accept thanks. 
Very respectfully yours, 

D. W. CoQUILLETT, 

Special Agent. 
Dr. C. V. Riley, 

U. S. Entomologist. 



BENEFICIAL INSECTS IMPORTED FROM AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEA- 
LAND. 

At tlie last session of the legislature of this State the sum of |5,000 
was api)ropriated for the purpose of importing from foreign countries 
beneficial insects that would prey upon the injurious ones found in the 
State, and this sum having been placed at tbe disposal of the Secre- 
tary of Agriculture at Washington, D. C, Mr. Albert Koebele, one of 
the agents of the Division of Entomology, was sent on this mission, 
with instructions to collect specimens of all kinds of beneficial insects 
and forward them to the writer for propagation and distribution. A 
large portion of my time has been consumed in caring for and working- 
out the life histories of the insects thus received. Many of the species 
originall}' preyed upon insects not found in this State, and much time 
was spent in testing them with the different kinds of injurious insects 
found here, in the liope that they could be induced to feed upon them. 
Eight separate consignments were received at intervals of four weeks, 
between October 30, 1891, and May 14, 1892. As the majority of these 
were received during the rainy season, I had three cloth tents erected 
over as many infested orange trees, the better to i)rotect the insects 
from the inclement weather. 

The first consignment of these insects, collected in the vicinity of 
Auckland, New Zealand, was received on the 30th of October, 1891, 
and consisted of two living adult specimens of Leis antipodum Muls. 
and one adiilt and seventy larvje of Scymnus flavihrrtus Brown. The 
1 )ody of this larva is black, and is rather sparsely covered with very short, 
blunt, white bristles; on each side of the body are several prominent 
bristle-bearing warts, the three low down on each side of the fourth, 
eighth, and ninth segments, and also the two on the eleventh segment, 
being white, the others blackish; the upi)er one on the eighth and 
ninth .segments is smaller than the others; the head and thoracic legs 
are dark brown; length 3 mm. The pupa is entirely greenish-yellow, 
and the old larval skin is worked backward until it covers only the 
extreme end of the pupa. In the same box with these larva? were 
leaves infested with a Coccid which is apparently the Gtenocliiton 
depressum Mask., a species thus far known to occur only in New Zea- 



11 

land. I tested tlie above larv?e with specimens of Aftpidiofus aurantii 
Mask, and with Lccanium hcHpcriilum Linu., and they fed sparingly 
upon them. The next day I placed these larvae and the adult speci- 
men upon a tree thickly infested with the Lecanium ; this tree I have 
examined at intervals, but at the last examination did not find any of 
these ladybirds in any of their stages either upon this or any of the 
adjacent trees. Still, it is possible that they are established here, but 
in such small numbers that it is difQcalt to find them, the Insects also 
being small and inconsincuous. 

The two specimens of Leis anUpodum received with the above I tested 
with several different kinds of scale-insects, but they did not appear 
to attack any of them and died on the 20th of the following month 
without having deposited eggs. All of the other insects which came 
in this consignment were dead when I received them. 

With the above consignment was received, October 30, 1891, the fol- 
lowing letter, dated Auckland, New Zealand, October 8, 1891 : 

By this steamer I send a inimber of Scymnids, several species, and bnt two single 
Leis aniipoilum, wliich I wanted very badly. 

I tliink it wonld be a good idea to feed tbem up at first in large glass jars with 
Lecaiiiion heaperidHm and Red Scale; bnt do as yon think best, yet let the insects 
have light and air besides food, 

Please write to me how they arrived and what they feed npon. Let me j)articu- 
larly know abont the Leis, shonld they arrive living. Give them Lecanium liesperidum 
and L. oleai. I think they will feed on these, if anything. 

As it looks, these little beetles have not much of life in them; they are probably 
hibernated insects, and through with life; yet the larvae may be all right. I hope 
for the best. 

Am very w^ell at present and hope to do much better by next steamer. It is too 
early here as yet, and Sydney I will find warm, if not already hot. — Albert Koebele. 

Under date of November 3, 1891, I wrote to Mr. Koebele, giving an 
account of the condition of the insects when received by me, and 
advising him to always i^ack the insects in Sphagnum moss, as those 
packed in this manner had reached me in much better condition than 
had those packed in paper cut into fine strips. As there was no address 
given in his letter, I simply addressed my letter to him at Auckland, 
New Zealand, bnt in the month of May of the following year it was 
returned to me by the post-office officials, having for some reasons failed 
to reach him. 

The next consignment of insects reached me on the 28th of Novem- 
ber, 1891, and tbe boxes, with the single exception of one from Sydney, 
Australia, were marked as having been tilled at Parramatta, Aus- 
tralia, between tlie 23d and 30th of October, 1891. With this con- 
signment was received the following letter, dated Sydney, Australia, 
November 1, 1891 : 

You will receive by Wells, Fargo & Co. a lot of insects, all Coccinellidje. Please 
select an orchard badly infested with the Red Scale, and also some Black Scales, as 
many of the things feed on this as well as Lecanium liesperidum. Turn all the things 
loose in such an orchard. There are plenty of them to start with. 



12 

The large red and black spotted Cocciuellid is Lets conformis, feeding upon Aphids, 
which I fear you will not have now; but I send a lot of this to San Francisco to be 
placed in apple orchards infested with the Woolly Apbis. You will find two boxes 
with eggs of the little blue beetle. Place them upon trees with Ked Scale. This 
is and will prove to be the best remedy for that scale I shall be able to send. The 
large blue beetle with orange spots also feeds on this scale. And as to the Scymnid, 
I have marked upon boxes what they feed on : all the smaller upon Aspidiotus aiiran- 
iii, and one box contains about 90 or 100 of one species found, as yet, feeding only 
upon a species of Chiouaspis, upon a Banksia. 

Make preparation, and as soon as the box arrives take them into the field and lib- 
erate the insects. A short delay would be death to many of them, 

I will run up to Queensland, but will be here again to make up another sending of 
these beetles for next bteamer. — Albert Koebele. 

This consignment contained the following living insects: Fonr spec- 
imens of Orciis chalyheus, five of Orcus (mstralasice, and six specimens 
of an undetermined Scymnid. All of tlie other insects, including the 
eggs and larvse, were dead when received by me. I tested the living 
insects with specimens of Aspidiotus aurantii, and they fed upon them. 
jSTot being willing to turn such a small number of insects loose, as was 
suggested in the letter, I had a cloth tent erected over an orange tree 
thickly infested with the above-mentioned scale and placed all of the 
ladybirds on the tree under this tent. This tree was kindly placed at 
my disposal by Mr. A. F. Kercheval, of this city. 

The next consignment reached me December 28, 1891, accomi^anied 
by the following letter, dated Sydney, Australia, November 29, 1891 : 

Be ready for a large lot of specimens coming per Wells, Fargo & Co. Liberate 
them in same place as you did the last so they can lind each other. Of the two Orcus 
you will receive large numbers ; inclosed some of 0. australasiw in box with Lecaniiivi 
ohos, where you may find eggs; also, 0. chalybeus and a large black Scymnid, which 
has been, as yet, found only on L. olece and L. hesperidiim. 

* * * Box " Vedalia sp., Toowoomba, Parramatta." Try and breed this little 
beetle on Icerya. It is the insect destroying this scale hero and at Queensland. 
They will readily lay their eggs in a large glass jar if supplied with scales. You 
will also get a large lot of Thalpochares cocdpliaga, both larv;e and pupae. Do not 
set them free, but breed in confinement in large glass jars covered with muslin and 
well supplied with L. olece. * * * 

Please save all the boxes with dead insects for me, as T sliall want them for future 
notes. Of course you can have specimens for collection if you should want them. I 
may now wait in sending future lots of Orcus until I hear from you how this arrived. 
It is not possible that all should die. 

It would be a gooji arrangement to have three jars for the Thalpochares — one to feed 
the smaller larvte, one for pupai, and a third with plenty of fresh food to place the 
moths in as they appear. The sticks with scales could be taken out from time to 
time and fastened onto orange trees infested with the scales in the field. 

I think that these larvie attain their growth in from three to four weeks. They 
are a stupid lot, always spinning everything together. Therefore it would be well 
to give them plenty of room. 

The larviTC! of Orcus could be got by the thousands, but I can not send any on 
account of the parasites. — Albert Kokbele. 

In this consignment were the following living insects: Three speci- 
mens of Orcus cJialyheus, one Orcus australasiw, eleven undetermined 



13 

Scymnids, one hundred and seventy-five specimens of Alesia fromata, 
twenty-four specimens of a large, reddish-yellow Coccinellid having six 
irregular spots besides the elytral suture black, three specimens of 
Novius koebelei, twelve small black ones having a large red spot on each 
elytron, twenty-two specimens of a black Scymnid having only the 
apex of the abdomen red. 

I tested them with a great variety of different kinds of insects, and 
ascertained that the Alesia — ^the yellowish one with six elytral black 
spots — the Cryptohiemus, and the black one with two elytral red spots, 
all fedui)on the Cabbage Aphis {Aphis hrassicce). Accordingly, I turned 
them loose in a field of cabbages thickly infested with these Aphides. 
The Novius I placed in a jar containing Iceryas; the remaining speci- 
mens I placed on the orange tree under the tent where 1 had placed the 
Ijrevious consignment. 

On the 30th of December, 1891, I wrote Mr. Koebele as follows: 

The two packages of insects wliicli you sent me from Sydney reached me in very poor 
condition. In your first sending were only four living Orcus chalybeus, and in the 
last sending three. Of Orcus australasm, five were alive in the first lot, but only one 
in the last. As these are the two species that we look to for ridding the infested 
trees of the Red Scale, it would be well to pay especial attention to them in your next 
sending. Try especially to send the pupa?, as these withstand the voyage better 
than the adult beetles. The square boxes with sliding lids are better for sending 
them in than are the smaller circular ones. I noticed that those packed in Sphag- 
num moss' came through in better condition than those you packed in paper cut into 
strips. A good plan would be, to place in the bottom of the box a thin layer of damp 
Sphagnum, then twigs infested with the scales, after this the ladybirds, placing on 
the top another thin layer of Sphagnum. 

Packages intended for me should be addressed to me at 236 Winston street^ so that 
the express company will not have any difiiculty in delivering them. — D. W. Co- 

QUILLETT. 

The next consignment of insects reached me January 23, 1892, and was 
accompanied by the following letter, dated Sydney, Australia, Decem- 
ber 28, 1891: 

A lot more of Coccinellids, to be let loose in same place as previously. Also a num- 
ber of things in one box, to breed in confinement. Do not open boxes outside of room 
or with open windows. The parasites will not only destroy these larvse^ but all or any 
Coccinellid. I hope you see the point, and I trust to you not to let any escape. Also, 
more larvae and pupiB of T. cocciphaga. Feed Coccinellid larvae from Whitton on 
Lecanium,^s also those of 0. australasiw. 

Why did you not write about the New Zealand insects? — Albert Koebele. 

In this consignment were four hundred living adults of Orcus chaly- 
beus, seventy-five of which I placed on the orange tree under the tent, 
and liberated the remainder in the orange grove adjoining this tree, 
this grove being very thickly infested with Asjndiotus aurantii. The 
consignment also contained forty- five adults and thirty-six living pupae 
of Orcus australasiw ; twenty-two of these I placed on the orange tree 
under the tent, while the balance were placed on an ash tree thickly 
infested with Lccanium olece. I retained the pupse in my office until 



14 

the beetles issued, tlieii placed tlie latter on the ash tree above men- 
tioned. Besides these, there was also a package of twigs on which were 
nnnierous specimens of Lecanium olccc infested with a fungus; these I 
placed on an oleander bu.sh thickly infested with the above-mentioned 
Lecanium. The package also contained eight large black Scymnids, 
which fed sparingly upon Lecanium ole(v, and I therefore had a tent 
erected over an orange tree thickly infested with these scales, and 
X)laced the Scymnids in this tent. This tree was placed at my disposal 
by Juflge E. Silent, of this city. 

I received the next consignment on the 2()th day of February, 1892. 
It was not accompanied by any letter. The entire package was com- 
pletely soaked with water when it reached me, and several of the boxes 
w^ere broken open. This consignment contained eight living adults of 
Orcus chalyheus, which I liberated in the same orange grove where I 
had placed those of the previous sending ; twenty-three Scymnids, which 
I i)laced on the orange tree infested with Aspidiotus aurantii, under the 
tent, and thirty adults of Orcus Mlnnulatus, which I placed on the 
orange tree infested with Lecanium olecv under the tent at Judge Silent's. 

The next package of insects reached me on the 21st of March, 1802, 
and was accompanied by the following letter, written at Sydney, New 
South Wales, February 22, 1892: 

I liave your letter of December 30. Sent a lot more of Orcus and a small Seymuid 
on Red Scale; this latter is as good as Orcus in destroying these scales. 

In box with Eriococcus you will find some Scymnids feeding on Mack Scales, also 
their larvae, larvai of Thalpochares and of a Pyralid ( ?). This latter you had before. 
They may feed on Lecanium. Breed all these in continemeut, and not get box near 
Eucalyptus. A whole box full of Lecanium with internal parasites. You had better 
not place them on trees, but at a distance from them, as, if necessary, in case the 
Scales should establish themselves, they could be promptly destroyed. The same 
may be said of the Eriococcus, which, although only feeding on Eucalyptus, is a bad 
thing on these trees. 

Await Lets antipodum and rear on Lecanium henperidum. — A. Koebele. 

This package did not contain a single living insect when I received 
it. Among the dead insects was a ladybird larva which I recognized 
as belonging to Scymnvs lophantluv Blaisdell, a species which had evi- 
dently been imported into this State from Australia several years ago, 
and upon procuring specimens of the larvse of this ladybird from orange 
trees in this city I found that the two forms were identical. The 
package also contained dead specimens of a ladybird which agree in 
every particular with specimens of the above-named Scymnus contained 
in my collection and which were captured in this city several yeais 
ago. Specimens of both were submitted to Dr. Eiley in order to settle 
this question definitely, and he writes me that the two forms, the one 
received from Australia and the other collected in this city, are indis- 
tinguishable, and that both belong to the species recently described by 
Dr. Blaisdell as Scymnus lophantlice (see ^'■Entomological Hews," vol. iii, 
p. 51). I gave a description of the larva and pupa of this ladybird in 



15 

Bulletin No. 26, Division of Entomology of the U. S. Department of 
Agriculture (pp. 16 and 17), where it is referred to as "an undetermined 
species of Scyinnus, closely related to Scymnus marginicollis Maun,, but 
having a distinct metallic, somewhat brassy tinge upon the wing-cases." 
I have found this larva feeding upon the Red Scale {Aspidiotus aurantii) 
as well as ui)on the San Jose Scale {Aspidiotus perniciosus) and the 
Woolly Aphis {ScMzoneura lanigera). This is doubtless the "small 
Scyranid on Ked Scale" referred to by Mr. Koebele in the letter given 
above and which he says is "as good as the Orcus in destroying these 
scales," the other Scymnids referred to being much larger species. 

Another package of insects from Sydney, Australia, was received on 
the 15th of April, 1892. ISTo letter accompanied this package, which 
contained the following living insects : Twenty-seven si)ecimens of Orcus 
chalyheus and nine of Orcus australasice, all of which I liberated in the 
orange grove in which the former consignments were set free ; four speci- 
mens of Leis conformis, and live of the large yellow Coccinellid with six 
elytral black si)ots, which was also represented among those received 
December 28, 1891, and alluded to above. The specimens of the last 
two si)ecies I i:)laced on an orange tree thickly infested with Aphides. 
There was also a box containing a number of larvoe and chrysalides of 
the moth ThaJpochares cocciphaga in their cocoons; these I placed in 
breeding cages in my office and kept them well supplied with Lecanium 
oleae. During the month of May nine adult parasites belonging to the 
genus Bracou issued from these larvae or chrysalides. The moths issued 
in the latter part of June and during the mouth of July, and after the 
last one had finished depositing her eggs I placed the entire contents of 
these cages in an orange tree thickly iufested with Lecanium olecv. 

The eighth and last consignment of insects from Sydney, Australia, 
reached me on the 14th of May, 1892. This package also was not accom- 
panied by letter. For the first time, all of the insects had been packed 
in Sphagnum moss, as advised in my letter to Mr. Koebele, of December 
30, 1891, a copy of which is given on a preceding page, and the insects 
reached me in much better condition than did those of any i^revious 
sending. This package contained 560 living specimens of Orcus chaly- 
heus^ 20 Orcus australasia', 170 specimens of Leis co?i/ormis, and 5 speci- 
mens of the yellow Coccinellid with six elytral black spots. I retained 
20 of the Orcus chalyheus and 10 Orcus australasice^ for breeding in my 
office; the remainder I turned loose in an orange grove, in this city, 
thickly infested with Aspidiotus aurantii^ Lecanum olea\ and a certain 
kind of Aphis. The specimens ot Jjcis conformis I liberated in an apple 
orchard, in this city, thickly infested with the Woolly Aphis {ScMzoneura 
lanigera), while the yellow ladybirds with six elytral black spots were 
kept in my office, in a large glass jar well supplied with Ai^hides. On 
the 28th of INIay a parasitic larva issued from the under part of the body 
of one of the last-named ladybirds, and spun its tough brownish cocoon 
beneath the latter, thus attaching the ladybird to the surface upon ' 



16 

which it rested, and the adult fly issued from this cocoon eight days 
later. On the 30th of May another parasitic larva issued from a second 
of these ladybirds, and spun its cocoon as the previous one had done, 
and the winged parasite issued seven days later. I submitted both 
specimens of this parasite to Dr. Riley for identification, and he writes 
me that they agree in every particular with specimens of Euphorus 
sculptm Cr. in the collection of the National Museum. It is interesting 
to note that on page 57, volume iii, of Insect Life, Dr. Riley records 
having bred this same species from adults of the native ladybird, 
3[egiUa maculata, collected at Washington, D. C, and also at La Fayette, 
Ind.; while here in California I have bred what he pronounces to be 
this same species from two of our common ladybirds, Hippodamia con- 
vergcns and Goccinella sanguinea, both of which are also found in the 
eastern part of this country. Thus this parasite is known to occur on 
both sides of this continent as well as in Australia. With the above- 
mentioned package was received a box of Aspidiotus aurantii infested 
by a fungus; these I placed in an orange tree thickly infested with this 
kind of scale-insect. 

As stated above, no insects were received by me from Mr. Koebele 
later than the 14th of May, 1892. 

The following are my notes and descriptions of the early stages of 
some of the insects received from Australia. These are not complete 
in regard to all of the species, since a sufQcient number of specimens 
of several of the species was not received to i^errait of my making 
descriptions of all the stages, and I was unwilling to hazard the life of 
any of the larvae belonging to species not thoroughly established here 
by submitting them to repeated and critical examinations such as it 
would be necessary to make in order to describe the various stages 
througb which these insects pass: 

Orcus australasIvE. — Egg. — Elongate-ellipsoidal, two aud half a times as long as 
broad, polished, but slightly scabrous, one end bearing numerous minute tubercles; 
color, light lemon yellow ; length, ij""". Deposited beneath dead, empty specimens 
of Lecanium olece partially raised, from the surface upon which they rest; usually 
deposited in pairs, the eggs being attached at one side to the under surface of the 
scale. 
Time from deposition to hatching, eighteen days. 

Larva. — First stage. — Body brownish black ; first segment encircled in front and 
on the sides with a row of fourteen small tubercles each tipped with a single biistlia, 
except two of the lateral ones each side, each of which bears two bristles. There is 
also a pair of smaller subdorsal bristles near the posterior end of this segment; sec- 
ond segment bearing twelve tubercles, arranged on each side of the segment, one 
subdorsal, three suprastigmatal arranged in the form of a triangle, and two stigma- 
tal tubercles placed one in front of the other, the anterior of these l)eing much 
smaller than the posterior one, and destitute of a bristle. Each of the other tuber- 
cles bears a bristle wliich is more than twice as long as the tubercle itself, except 
the anterior of the three arranged in the form of a triangle. This bears two bristles ; 
one, which is shorter than the other, is inserted below the apex on tlie front side, at 
which point this tubercle bears a minute branch; third segment like the second, 
except that the upper of the three tubercles in the triangle is wholly wanting, leaVf 



17 

ing only ten tubercles on this segment; fourth segment bearing a tranverse row of 
six tubercles, the subdorsal ones each bearing two bristles, the second of which is 
inserted below the apex on the front side ; each of the suprastimatal tubercles bears 
three bristles, two of which are inserted below the apex, one on the front side and 
the other on the outer side; the lowest tubercle bears but a single bristle; fifth to 
tenth segments, like the fourth; eleventh segment like the fourth, except that the 
lowest tubercle on each side is wanting, leaving only four tubercles on this segYueut; 
twelfth segment destitute of tubercles; head wholly black. 

Duration of this stage, six days. 

Second stafjc. — Body brownish black, a yellow dot on the posterior margin of the 
first segment; a larger medio-dorsal yellow spot on the second, third, seventh, and 
eighth segments ; tubercles black, except the jiosterior four or six on the first segment, 
all of those on the second, all except the loAvest ones on the third, all on the seventh 
and eighth, and all except the lowest on the ninth segment, which are largely or 
wholly yellow ; sometimes, however, the lowest tubercles on the second, seventh, and 
eighth segments are black; first segment encircled in front and on the sides with a 
row of sixteen long tubercles, each of which bears a long apical and several shorter 
lateral bristles; there is also a small, yellow subdorsal tubercle each side of the 
middle, near the posterior end of this segment, each tubercle bearing a bristle which 
is three times as long as the tubercle itself; other tubercles arranged as in the first 
stage, each bearing an apical and several lateral bristles, the a|)ical one not appreci- 
ably longer than the tubercle itself, except in the case of the tubercles situated low- 
est down on each side of the body; the anterior of the two lowest tubercles on the 
second segment is scarcely more than half as long as the posterior one; the anterior 
of the two lowest tubercles on the third segment is minute and scarcely apparent; 
head entirely black. 

Duration of this stage, seven days. 

Third stage. — Marked as in the second stage, except that all of the tubercles on the 
ninth segment and the subdorsal ones on the tenth are yellow; tubercles arranged 
as in the second stage ; the subdorsal tubercles near the posterior end of the first 
segment are now much larger, being scarcely shorter than the bristles at their apices ; 
the anterior of the two lowest tubercles on the third segment is scarcely one-sixth 
as long as the posterior one, and is yellow ; the four tubercles on the eleventh seg- 
ments are noticeably longer than any of the others. 

Duration of this stage, eleven days. 

Fourth stage. — First segment yellow, the center above, including the greater portion 
of the space inclosed by the tubercles, black ; second segment black, the anterior 
and posterior margins and the sides broadly yellow, that on the posterior margin 
being produced forward in the middle above; third segment yellow, marked with a 
pair of black spots in front and with a second iiair behind the subdorsal tubercles; 
there is also a black spot in front of the upper of the two lateral pairs of tubercles, 
and another at the base of the posterior of the two lowest tubercles; fourth, fifth, 
and sixth segments black, marked with an irregular silvery- white stripe between the 
tubercles, the sutures of these segments yellow; seventh segment silvery-white, 
marked with a small black ejiot between the two upper tubercles and with a larger 
one behind the upper of the two lateral tubercles ; eighth segment black, the greater 
portion of the space between the subdorsal tubercles silvery white, and there is also 
a spot of the same color at the base of the lowest tubercle; ninth segment black, 
the middle of the posterior margin, extending nearly as far as the upper of the two 
lateral tubercles, silvery white ; tenth segment black, the posterior margin silvery 
white, which color crosses the segment obliquely between the subdorsal and the 
upper of the two lateral tubercles; eleventh segment like the tenth, except that 
there is a silvery-white spot at the base of the lower tubercle; twelfth s'egment 
wholly black ; there is also a silvery white medio-dorsal line extending from the 
19866— jS'o. 30 2 



18 

second to tlie eight segment; venter yellow, the abdominal segments marked with 
dusky black; tnljerelcs arranged as in tlie preceding stage, black, all of those on 
the first, second, seventh, eighth, ninth, and tenth segments yellow, as are also 
those on the third, with the exception of the posterior of the lowest two; the low- 
est tubercle on each side of the sixth segment is also yellow; the subdorsal tuber- 
cles near the posterior margin of the first segment are nearly as largo as those on 
the sides of this segment; the anterior of the two lowest tubercles on the second 
segment is slightly longer than cither of the three arranged in the form of a triangle 
above it; the anterior of the two lowest tubercles on the third segment is not half 
as long as either of the two above it; except on the first segment, none of the bristles 
are as long as the tubercles which bear them; head black, marked in the middle 
with a yellow spot. Length, 8'"™. 

Duration of this stage, eleven days. 

Pupa. — Yellow, marked with a medio-dorsal row of oval black spots, one to each 
segment, and on each side of these is a row of larger black spots, one to each seg- 
ment, except the first, those on the second segment sometimes connected along the 
front end of this segment with the median spot; wing-cases entirely, or at least 
their upjier edges, black; entire surface thinly covered with a yellowish white, 
appressed, scaly pubescent; first and second segments bearing several short, erect 
bristles; remaining segments each bearing a large cluster of bristles in the subdorsal 
and also in the stigmatal region; length, Tmm^ 

Duration of tbis sfage, eleven days. 

In pupating the old larval skin is rent along tlie back from the head 
to the front end of the eighth segment. 

The time passed by this ladybird in its preparatory stages from the 
depositing of the G.^g to the issuing of the adult insect is seen to be 
about sixty-four days, divided as follows: Egg, eighteen days; larva, 
thirty-five days (first stage, six days; second stage, seven days; third 
stage, eleven days, and fourth stage, eleven days); pupa, eleven days. 
These periods are for the months of August and September, the insects 
having been bred in breeding cages kept in the window of my office, 
where they received the benefit of the afternoon sun. It is probable 
that in the open air they would have passed through their various 
changes in a somewhat shorter period of time than that indicated above. 

On the 14th of May of the present year I placed in one of my breed- 
ing cages, 10 of these ladybirds received that day from Sydney, Aus- 
tralia, and kept them well supplied with specimens of Aspidiotus aii- 
rantii, Lecaninm olece, and various kinds of Aphides, but more than six 
weeks elapsed before any eggs were deposited. At certain intervals 
after this I removed the larvie from this cage, and placed them on an 
orange tree thickly infested with Aspidiotus aurantH ajid Lecaninm olece; 
on the 16th of August I thus removed about 100 of them, on the Sth 
of September 13 more, and on the 28tli of September I placed the 
entire contents of this cage on the same orange tree. At this latter 
date several of the beetles originally received from Australia were 
still alive, which would indicate that they are comparatively long lived, 
since I had them in my possession for a period of over four months, 
and they may have been several weeks old at the time of their capture 
in Australia. 



19 

Orcus chalybeus. — Egg. — Elongate -oval or elongate- ollipsoidal, from somewhat 
over twice to nearly three times as long as broad, surface polished, the upper end 
scabrous and on one side of the middle bearing a white, flattened, branched process,, 
having somewhat the aiipcarancc of an antler of a Moose-deer; color of egg, light 
lemon yellow ; length, 1^""". Placed on one end in clusters of from 4 to 10 eggs each. 

Time from deposition to liatching, eight days. 

Larva, — First stage. — Bod j' yellow, the tubercles dusty; first segment surrounded 
in front and on the sides by a row of ten long tubercles, and ^Yith a transverse pair of 
much smaller tubercles on the dorsum near the posterior end of this segment,each of 
these smaller tubercles being as broad as long; second segment bearing a transverse 
pair of long tnbercles, each size beside a dorsal transverse pair of much smaller tu- 
bercles, aud a single small tubercle in liont of each of the loAvest tubercles on this 
segment; each of these small tubercles is as broad as long; segments three to eight, 
each bears a transverse row of six long tubercles; segments nine and ten each bears 
a transverse row of four long tubercles ; eleventh segment bearing a single transverse 
pair of long tubercles; twelfth segment destitute of tubercles; each of the small 
tubercles aViove mentioned bears a single long bristle at its apex; each of the long 
tubercles is truncated at its apex, where it bears a stout bristle which is usually 
longer than the tubercle itself; in addition to this, the second tubercle on each 
side of the middle of the dorsum on the second and third segments bears a sec- 
ond long, stout bristle on its outer side a short distance below the .apex ; each of 
the long tubercles also bears one or two short lateral bristles ; the surface of the body 
is thinly covered with minute tubercles, each giving rise to a very short yellowish 
hair; head light yellow, thinly covered with slender bristles and bearing tliree 
black ocelli each side in the form of a triangle. 

Duration of this stage, six days. 

Second stage — Same as in the first stage with the following exceptions: Each of the 
small tubercles in the transverse subdorsal pair near the posterior end of the first 
segment, as well as those in the subdorsal pair on the second segment and the fore- 
most one of the two lowest on each side of this segment, is nearly three times as long as 
broad; each of these smaller tubercles bears a single apical bristle which is slightly 
longer than the tubercle itself, and each of the remaining one bears a pair of apical 
besides several lateral bristles of various lengths, but none of them are as long as 
the tubercle itself 

Duration of this stage, six days. 

Third stage. — Same as in the second stage, with these excexjtions: Dorsum of seg- 
ments two to nine black, most extended on the second aud third segments; the 
tubercles in the dorsal pair near the posterior end of the first segment and also 
those on the second segment are nearly as long as the adjacent ones, being some- 
wliat more than four times as long as broad, but the anterior of the two lowest 
tubercles on each side of the second segment is still much shorter than the others, 
aud is scarcely over two-thirds as long as the posterior one; each of these tubercles 
bears several short lateral bristles. 

Duration of this stage, seven days. 

Fourth stage. — The black of the dorsum is extended so as to include four rows of 
tubercles, and on the second and third segments it is divided by a medio-dorsal 
yellowish line. There is also a yellowish line on segments four to nine between the 
first and second rows of tubercles each side. The black coloring on the outside of 
these lines is not so intense as it is within them. The anterior of the two lowest 
spines on the second segment is five-sixths as long as the posterior one. Otherwise 
as in the preceding stage. Length, when fully grown, 5'""'. 

Duration of this stage, fourteen days. 

Pupa. — Light citron yellow, head almost surrounded with blackish, first three seg- 
ments each marked with a pair of obli<iue black dorsal sjiots, those on the second 
segment the largest; fourth segment marked with a pair of small black dorsal dots 



20 

Avliich are scarcely apparent; segments five to eight each marked with a pair of 
black dorsal spots, those on the sixth and seventh segments larger than the others; 
wing-cases bordered above with black ; surface thinly covered with a light yellow 
pubescence; length, 5"'™. 

Duration of this stage, fourteen days. 

From these data it will be seen that this species passes through its 
various stages in a somewhat shorter time than is the case with Orcns 
australasue. In all of its stages it is much more delicate than the last- 
named species, and the beetles appear to be much shorter lived. On 
the 14:th of May I placed twenty adults of Orcus chalyheus in one of my 
breeding cages and kept them well supplied with specimens of Asjri- 
diotus aurantii and Lecanium olecc, but no eggs were laid until about 
two months later, or on the 25th of July; and the last beetle in this 
cage died on the 2d of August. Specimens of Orcus australasice, 
obtained at the same time as these and treated in the same manner, 
were still living nearly two months after the last chah/beus had died. 

On the lOtli of August a larva of chalyheus, only four days old, was 
attacked by a whitish, feathery fungus which spread out on all sides 
of its body, giving the latter the apj)earance of resting upon a minia- 
ture mat of feathers. I submitted this si)ecimen to Dr. Galloway, the 
mycologist of this Department, by whom it was referred to Mr. J. B. 
Ellis, a well known authority upon fungi, who reported that this fungus 
was either the Microcera coccophila, or else a species of Isaria, probably 
the latter. The Microcera here alluded to is known to attack various 
kinds of scale-insects in Australia, and it would be interesting to learn 
if the spores of this fungus were brought over with the ladybirds 
recently imported from that country; but a second letter to Dr. Gallo- 
way upon this subject elicited the fact that the specimen in question 
had been mislaid and could not be found. 

Novius KOE15ELEI. — Ef/g, — Elougate-ovate, two and a half times as broad, the sur- 
face very scabrous; coloi", deep orange-red; length, 0.75""". Attached lengthwise to 
the body of an Icerya, or thrust into the egg-sac of the latter. 

Time from disposition to hatching, six days. 

Lavva. — Firsi stage. — Body, including the head and legs, blood-red, the first three 
segments each marked with a pair of subdorsal black spots, those on the first seg- 
ment the largest; first segment bearing four long bristles, two on each side, besides 
two shorter ones near the front end; second segment bearing a transverse pair of 
bristles each side, of which the ujiper bristle is the shorter; third segment like the 
second; segments four to nine, each bearing a single long stigmata! bristle each 
side, which si^rings from a small black tubercle ; segments ten and eleven on each 
side bearing a subdorsal and a stigmatal bristle; twelfth segment destitute of 
bristles; the long bristles described above are slightly longer than the transverse 
diameter of the body, and curved upward; there are also several much shorter 
curved bristles thinly scattered over the body, and they likewise occur on the head 
and legs; on the under side of each femur are two long bristles; each tarsus bears 
four rather long, knobbed bristles, resembling the digitules on the tarsi of certain 
kinds of Coccids. Towards the end of this stage the body becomes thinly covered 
over with a very short, white, woolly substance. 

Duration of this stage, live days. 



21 

Second. 'itaf/c. — Same as the first, with these exceptions : First segment bearing twelve 
long bristhis, of which four are in a row along eacli side of this segment, one is located 
sliglitly above the second bristle in each of these rows counting from behind, besides 
a subdorsal bristle each side, situated near the middle of this segment; segments 
three to seven each bear a transverse pair of bristles each side; the longest bristles 
scarcely exceed the transverse diameter of the body. 

Duration of this stage, three days. 

Third stage. — Body, blood-red, the subdorsal regiou being the darkest, but there 
are no definite black markings; iirst segment bearing fourteen bristles, six of which 
are in a row on each side of the segment, and one is situated above the second 
bristle in each of these rows, counting from behind; segments two and three each 
bearing a stigmatal cluster of four bristles each side and with a single bristle in front 
of each of these clusters; segments four to nine each bearing a stigmatal cluster of 
four bristles each side; segment ten bears a subdorsal bristle besides the stigmatal 
cluster of four bristles each side; segment eleven bears a subdorsal bristle and a 
stigmatal clustor of three bristles each side; segment twelve bears a transverse row 
of four rather short bristles; each of the clusters of bristles above described issues 
from a large elongated tubercle the apex of which is rounded and blackish ; the bris- 
tles in these clusters are arranged one in front, another behind, and with a transverse 
pair between them, but on the eleventh segment the anterior bristle is wanting; 
these bristles are of unequal lengths, the transverse pair being longer than the others, 
these but slightly exceeding one-half of the transverse diameter of the body; head 
slightly darker than the body and marked with a black spot on each side; legs red, 
the tarsi slightly blackish ; the surface of the body is thinly covered with a very short, 
white, crinkled, woolly substance which does not entirely conceal the ground color. 

Duration of this stage, three days. 

Fourth stage. — Same as the third stage, with these exceptions: Body marked each 
side by a subdorsal black stripe which passes between two rows of low, transversely 
oval warts Avhich are blackish at their apices, two warts to each segment, except on 
the second and third segments, where only the lower wart is present, but neither 
the Avarts nor the black stripes extend upon the first segment; this segment bears 
eighteen bristles, of which seven are arranged in a row along each side of the seg- 
ment, and one is situated above the first and second bristles in each of these rows, 
counting from behind ; the eleventh segment bears a stigmatal cluster of four 
bristles each side; the I'emaining bristles are arranged as in the preceding stage. 

Duration of this stage, ten days. 

Papa. — Orange-red, first segment marked with a medio-dorsal black spot, second 
and third segments each with a large transverse black spot; segments six, seven, 
and eight each Avith a transverse black spot on its anterior end, that on the sixth 
sometimes divided medially into two spots; surface thinlj^ covered with a short, 
light yellow, mostly recumbent jiubescence, which converges towards the middle of 
the dorsum, forming a small cluster near the center of each segment; length, 4'"'". 

Duration of tliis stage, fourteen days. 

About three days before pupation takes place, the full-grown larva 
attaches itself to some object by the posteric^' l^art of the body, and in 
pupating the old larval skin is rent from the head to the anterior end 
of the seventh segment, and is allowed to remain, partially enveloping 
the pupa. About ten days after pupation takes place the pupa-skin is 
rent, disclosing the included beetle, but the latter does not issue from 
the pupa-case until four days after this stage is reached. 

This ladybird breeds as readily in confinement as does the VedaJia car- 
dinalis and closely resembles the latter in all of its stages. The obser- 



22 

vations above recorded were made during' the inoiitlis of August aud 
September, and the insects were kept in glass jars in a sunny window 
of my office. The eggs are darker and much rougher than those of the 
Icerya, wliich they otherwise closely resemble, and are usually thrust 
into the egg sac of the latter. The young larvce prefer the eggs of the 
Icerya to the insects themselves as food, and shortly after issuing from 
the eggs they burrow into an egg sac and frequently remain in it until 
full grown. On several ditferent occasions I have reared a Novius 
. larva from the egg to the adult state upon the eggs in a single egg mass 
of the Icerya. They spend a somewhat longer time in their preparatory 
stages than the Vedalia does, this being especially noticeable in the 
pupa stage; and being much smaller insects they do not destroy the 
Iceryas as rapidly as the Vedalia does. The latter appears to prefer 
the Novius larvae to the Iceryas for food, and whenever the larva*, of 
these two ladybirds inhabit the same plant the Novius larva falls a 
prey to its more powerful rival. I learn from Mr. John Scott, the 
Horticultural Commissioner of Los Angeles county, that he introduced 
a few Vedalia larvie into a glass jar containing a colony of the Novius, 
and, although he kept them well supplied with Iceryas for food, still in 
a short time the Vedalias had completely annihilated the liovius 
larvae. 

Leis conformis. — Egg. — Elongate-ovate, twice as long as broad, the outline quite 
regular, tapering gradually toward each end, the upper end convex, the lower one 
flattened at its attachment ; surface highly polished, hut under a highly magnifying 
power appearing somewhat scahrous, owing to minute, hlisterlike, raised spots 
which are thinly scattered over its surface; color, light lemon-yellow; length, 1^™'". 

The eggs are attached by one end to a leaf or other object and are 
deposited iu clusters of from three to forty-one eggs each. Time from 
deposition to hatching, seven days. 

Larva: First stage. — Body of tlie usual Cocciuellid form, being widest in front and 
tapering quite rapidly posteriorly; olive-brown, varied with black, aud bearing 
many black, somewhat conical tubercles, each tipped with a black style which at its 
apex is compressed laterally and is truncate or sometimes slightly emarginate; first 
segment somewhat flattened above and bearing a circle of twenty-six tubercles; of 
these, the anterior fourteen (seven on each side) are arranged in a single row, and 
the style at the apex of each is longer than the tubercle itself; next to these are 
four transverse pairs of tubercles, two pairs on each side of the segment, the two 
tubercles composing the second pair being united at their bases; following these 
are four tubercles two on each side, iu which, as also iu the tubercles, comprising 
the four pairs above mentioned, the style is shorter than the tubercle itself: besides 
this circle of tubercles, there is also a transverse pair near the center of this segment; 
second segment, on each side, bearing a subdorsal oblique pair of tubercles which 
are united at their bases, a suprastigmatal cluster of five tubercles, three of which 
are united at their bases, the other two being slightly above and on either side of 
them; below this cluster is a single tubercle, in front of which is a stout bristle; 
third segment the same as the second except that the suprastigmatal cluster con- 
tains only four tubercles, the anterior of the two single ones beiug absent; fourth 
segment, on each side, bearing a subdorsal cluster of three tubercles united at their 
bases, a suprastigmatal pair of tuliercles which are also united at their bases, and 
below them is a single tubercle; segiiicuts five to eleven are the same as the fourth; 



23 

each of the tubercles on segments two to eleven is longer than the style at its apex; 
twelfth segment on each side boariug two subdorsal and two small stigmatal, widely 
separatodtubercles, each of which is shorter than the style at its apex; head polished 
black and bearing a few stout bristles; legs black and also bearing a few stout 
bristles. 

Duration of this stage, three days. 

Second stage. — Same as the (irst, except that the color of the body is black and the 
tubercles on the seventh segment are yellow ; the styles of the tubercles are not coin- 
pressed at their tips; the united bases of the tubercles which are arranged in pairs 
or in thi'ees are longer than the tubercles proper and each bears a few slender 
lateral bristles ; the posterior tubercle in each cluster of three is longer than either 
of the others in the same cluster. 

Duration of this stage, three days. 

Third stage. — Same as the second, except that sometimes, but not always, somo or 
all of the tubercles on the fourth segment are yellow. 

Duration of this stage, three days. 

Fourth stage. — There is no appreciable difference between this and the preceding 
stage. 

This is as far as I was able to carry these larva;, a host of mites 
belonging to the species Heteropus ventricosus of Newport having 
invaded my breeding cages and in a very short time destroyed not only 
these larvae, but also many others which I was rearing at the same 
time, the soft, recently transformed chrysalides and pupaj being 
attacked as well as the smaller larvae of all descriptions. No specimens 
of the Leis were received by me after the above date, so I was unable 
to procure a fresh colony of larvae and thus complete the life history. 

On the 14th of May I placed in one of my breeding cages about a 
dozen adult specimens of Leis conformis and supplied them with orange 
twigs infested with an undetermined species of Aphis. Three days 
later some of the beetles were paired, and on the 19th of May I exam- 
ined the twigs ill this cage, but found no eggs; I then replenished it 
with fresh twigs infested with the Ajihides, and in the afternoon of the 
same day this cage contained two clusters of eggs, containing seven 
and ten eggs, respectively. The beetles were very lively and fed 
greedily upon the Aphides. The females laid eggs readily in confine- 
ment, even when inclosed in a" small-sized box. The larviie were com. 
paratively easy to rear and fed readily ujion the Aphides, large numbers 
of which were destroyed in a day by a single larva. 

Undktermined CocciNELLii), (elytra yellow, marked with six black spots). — 
Egg. — Elongate-ellipsoidal, two and a half times as long as broad, light lemou-yellow, 
the upper end marked with a rather large white spot, surface highly polished, but 
under a high magnifying power appearing slightly scabrous, owing to minute blister- 
like spots, which are scattered over its surface; length, IJ""". 

Placed on end in clusters of about ten eggs each. Time from depo- 
sition to hatching, five days. 

Larva: First stage. — Body of the usual Coccinellid form, olive-brown varied with 
black, sides of the fourth segment lighter, almost white; first segment bearing a 
circle of twenty-six elongated tubercles, besides a transverse pair near the center 



^4 

of the dorsum; second segraent, on each side, hearing a snhdorsal cluster of three 
tnheroh^s, a snprastigmatal cluster of five, heh)w which is a pair of tubercles, and 
there is also a single tubercle situated between the subdorsal and suprastiginatal 
clusters; third segment on each side hearing a subdorsal and a snprastigmatal 
cluster of three tubercles, Avhile between tlu'se two clusters, and also below the low- 
est one, is a pair of tubercles ; fourth segment, on each side, bearing a subdorsal 
and a suprastigmatal cluster of tliree tubercles, and below the latter is a pair of 
tubercles, the anterior of which is smaller than tlie posterior one; segments five to 
eleven are the same as the fourth; all of the tubercles above described are black; 
twelfth segment, on each side, bearing a pair of subdorsal and a widely separated 
pair of stigmatal bristles ; head polished black. 

I was unable to carry these larv.T any fuitlier, owing to the invasion 
of the mites above referred to. Two of the beetles were destroyed by 
internal parasites, as already stated on a previous page of this report; 
the remaining beetles died without depositing eggs, and as no more 
specimens of this insect were received from Australia subsequently, I 
was unable to obtain any more eggs of this species and thus complete 
its life history. 

The beetles were received at the same time as the Lets conformis above 
described, and were treated in the same manner as the latter. They 
were not as lively as these and did not deposit eggs so readily in con- 
finement. Both the adults as well as the larvie fed greedily upon the 
Aphides which I introduced into their breeding cages. 

Thalpochaues cocciphaga. — IJgg. — Turnip-shaped, being twice as broad as high, 
attached at one end, the upper end rather deeply concave and furnished with a small 
rounded tubercle in the center; surface covered with irregular raised lines which 
encircle the egg, besides others Avhich extend vertically, these lines forming shallow 
cells of various shapes and sizes; diameter, nearly -i'""'. Deposited singly. 

Larva. — First stage. — Body whitish; head grayish-black; cervical shield dark 
gray; provided with six thoracic, four abdominal, and two anal legs, the abdominal 
legs located on the eighth and ninth segments; these as well as the anal prolegs are 
extremely short, but are encircled with minute hooks at their tips. 

Full-yrown larva. — Body very robust, dull white, usually with a tinge of yellow or 
pink; piliferous spots indistinct, pale brown ; spiracles yellowish ; head and cervical 
shield blackish-brown; no anal jilate; legs as in the first stage; length, 8""". 

Chrysalis. — Of the usual form, light yellowish-brown; destitute of transverse rows 
of teeth-like processes ; posterior end rounded and bearing a transverse, slightly 
curved row of six rather short, recurved spines. 

Shortly after issuing from the egg the larva spins around its body an 
oval case of light gray silk, which it drags around after it when crawl- 
ing about in search of food. This consists of the younger specimens of 
Lecaninm olece, and perhaps also the young of other kinds of Coccids. 
As the larva increases in size it enlarges its case by the addition of new 
material, and it frequently attaches to the outside of its case fragments 
of the scales, besides various other small objects, these being so small 
in size as to be scarcely noticeable except upon a close inspection. The 
case is closed at one end, while at the opposite end is a somewhat 
square opening, out of which the larva protrudes its head and the fore 
pa-rt of the body when feeding or when moving about upon the tree. 
Each of the four sides of this opening is furnished with a rounded silken 



25 

lohe, or pioloiigatioii oftlie ease, iiud these lobes converge toward the 
center of the opening, thus closing the latter when the larva retreats 
into its case. After each meal the larva fosteus its case to the bark 
by a few silken threads, then retreats into its case and remains hidden 
from view nntil the pangs of hunger again force it to come out in 
search of food. The chrysalis stage is passed within the silken case, 
and frequently ten or a dozen of the cases are fastened together in a 
mass by their occupants a short time before the latter assume the 
chrysalis form. 

It is quite impossible to extract one of these larvie from its silken 
case without fatally injuring the larva, so firmly does it retain its hold 
upon the inside of the case by means of the small hooks with which the 
prolegs are provided, and nothing short of cutting open the case will 
accomplish the removal of the larva. When removed from its case and 
placed upon a flat surface the larva is able to move about, but only very 
slowly, and in walking the posterior end of the body is elevated, no use 
being made of the last pair of prolegs. Whenever two of the larvae thns 
removed from their cases meet each other a fight is almost certain to 
occur, each larva seeking to grasp with its mandibles the mouth parts 
of the other, and, if successful, it will frequently shake from side to side 
the head and fore part of the body of its oi)ponent, somewhat as a terrier 
shakes a rat. In these encounters the softer parts of the body are never 
attacked, and the encounters are apparently in the nature of sport. 
The moths, as might be expected, are nocturnal in their habits, remain- 
ing perfectly quiet during the daytime and coming forth rather early 
in the evening. 

My notes on this species are necessarily imperfect, as but few of the 
larvae were obtained from eggs laid in confinement, and in order to 
work up their complete life history it would be necessary to frequently 
remove the larvai from their cases, and this I was unwilling to do until 
the species becomes firmly established in this State. 

At the present writing two of the most important of the imported 
species, the Orcus australasiw and Orcns chali/beus, are breeding in two 
localities in this city, as well as in an olive grove in Santa Barbara 
County, and the former species is also breeding in Alameda County. 
While they do not increase with suificient rapidity to give us the as- 
surance that they will be able to practically free all of the trees in 
this State of the different kinds of scale insects that infest them, still 
they will undoubtedly prove valuable allies in keeping these scale 
insects in check. 

Novius Imuelei is also firmly established here. I have it breeding 
in my office at the present writing, and have sent a few colonies to dif- 
ferent localities in the State. The horticultural commissioner of this 
county, Mr\ John Scott, also has colonies of this insect breeding in his 
office, and has sent out colonies in jdace of the Vedalia cardinalis. 
While this last-named insect has efl'ectually kept in check the destruc- 



26 

tive Fluted or Cotton y-cusliion Scale {Icerya pnrchasi), still of course 
there is abundant room for this second species to aid in this commend- 
able work. Being- much smaller than the Vedalia and not passing 
through its changes anymore rapidly, it is very doubtful wliether the 
Novius could have accomplished the same work in the same time that 
the Vedalia did in California. 

It is very probable that lour other kinds of beneficial insects, the 
Leis conformis, Alesia fromata, the reddish-yellow ladybird with six 
elytral bhick spots, and the small black one with two large elytral red 
spots, are also established here, but these were received in such small 
numbers that some little time must elapse before they will have nnilti- 
plied sufficiently to be met with except after a long and careful search 
for them. It is also possible that the Cryptolsemus and two or three 
species of Scymnids, as well as the Thalpochares, may yet be foun<l to 
have gained a foothold here, but this can be determined only after the 
lapse of several months, or perhaps even longer than this. I have 
already alluded to the fact that the Scymnm lophanthw was also among 
the specimens introduced, but this can hardly be considered an intro- 
duction in the same light as the other species, since it was already 
established here before these later specimens were received. 

I have not observed that either of the two species of fungi received 
from Australia, the one attacking Lecanium olece, the other on AspicU- 
otus aurantii, has spread to the healthy scale insects, but of course it 
is possible that the spores of these fungi may remain dormant until the 
wet season sets in. 

THE WALNUT SPAN WORM. 

The Englisli Walnut is quite extensively grown in certain localities 
in this State, and, in proportion to the amount of care bestowed upon 
it, yields a larger revenue than almost any other tree grown upon this 
coast. It is remarkably free from the attacks of insects, those here- 
tofore known to attack it never occurring in sufficient numbers to cause 
any widespread destruction of the trees or nuts. Two years ago, 
however, a span-worm appeared in such large numbers in a certain 
locality that many trees were almost completely defoliated by it. 

The first intimation I received in regard to the appearance of this 
new pest was a letter from Hon. EUwood Cooper, of Santa Barbara, 
under date of Ai)ril 29, 1890, and which reads as follows: 

I seiiil you by tliis mail a liox of worms. Please write me by return mail what 
they are, whether from a moth, miller, l)utterfly, or beetle. What kind of eggs, ami 
the time required for them to hatch? Wheu do the worms go into the pupa statb, 
and where? Nothing of this kiud has ever been seen on the ranch before. My fore- 
man said he saw the very small worms about ten days ago. I had never seen any- 
thing on the w.alnut trees, and hence did not at once go to look after them. A few 
days later I made an examination, but coiild find no eggs, yet very minute worms, 
I sent the foreman, but none could be found. The eggs must have been laid on the 
twigs, because the leaves have only been out about fourteen days. About oue week 



27 

ago there were Itnt few signs, now the wliole thiug is heing eaten np. I never saw 
anytliing so ravenous. Pk'aso write me ut ouce what to do and what it is. I fear 
the erop is gone.— Ellwood Coopek. 

Thinking tlie matter of sufficient importance to require investigating, 
I ]»ai(l a visit to Mr. Cooper soon after the middle of May. Prior to 
this, however, the trees had been sprayed with Paris green and water 
at the rate of 1 pound of Paris green to 130 gallons of water, and now 
it was no easy matter to find any living, liealthy worms. The trees at- 
tacked were very large ones, being about 30 feet high, and the branches 
extending a distance of nearly 20 feet, making for the tops of the trees 
a diameter approximating 40 feet. Tlie span-worms api)eared upon 
nearly everj^ tree in a grove containing 20 acres, but they were most 
abundant near the center of the grove, where they had almost com- 
pletely defoliated tlie trees. Tliey also appeared upouthe walnut trees 
in an adjacent grove, but not in such large numbers as in the one above 
mentioned. Mr. Cooper informed me that he has lived on this ranch 
continuously for nineteen years, but never before had these or any 
other kind of span-worms appeared upon his trees in sufficient num- 
bers to attract attention, and he is unable to account for the present in- 
vasion. 

The following year these span-worms were also present upon some 
of the trees, but were far less numerous than during the preceding 
year. The infested trees were again sprayed with Paris green and 
water at the rate of 1 pound to 180 gallons, and this effectually de- 
stroyed the span-worms. In the month of March of the present year, 
however, Mr. Cooper wrote me that the span-worms were again appear- 
ing in large numbers and requested me to come to his ranch and inves- 
tigate them. Having received instructions from Dr. Eiley to this ef- 
fect, I again, on the Gth of April, visited Mr. Cooper, and found that, 
while the span-worms were quite abundant upon some of the trees, still 
they were in much smaller numbers than during the season of 1890. I 
also made a careful examination of the trees growing near the walnut 
trees; these consisted of Olive, Persimmon, Eucalyptus, Sycamore, Al- 
der, Oak, Elder, Willow, and a few other kinds of trees, besides various 
kinds of shrubs and plants, but failed to find specimens of this span- 
worm upon any of them, with the single exception of the Oak {Quercus 
agrifoUa). The new, spring growth was just starting out upon this 
tree, and I found several of these span-worms feeding upon the newly 
exiianded oak leaves; a careful comparison of these oak-feeding speci- 
mens with those from the walnut trees failed to disclose the slightest 
difference, and when I tested them with walnut leaves they also fed 
readily upon them. Several trees of black walnuts are also growing on 
Mr. Cooper's ranch, but these were not yet in leaf at the time of my 
visit. 

During a visit which I made, in the latter part of April, to portions 
of Alameda and Santa Clara counties I found sjiecimens of this same 



28 

kind of spaii-Avorin on some apple and prune trees as Avell as on Eng- 
lish walnuts in some of the orchards of the above-mentioned counties. 
Under date of April 27, 1802, Mr. Cooper writes me that he recently 
found this pest in three other groves of English walnut in Santa Bar- 
bara County, where it was very destructive to the leaves of these trees- 
Thus it appears that already this span-worm is quite widely distributed 
over the State, and unless active measures are adopted to suppress it 
there is every probability that it will in time very seriously interfere 
with the profitable growing of English walnuts upon this coast. 
Unfortunately, the moths have not yet issued, so it is impossible at the 
present writing to identify the species or to ascertain if it has proved 
destructive in other States than our own. 

The eggs from which these span-worms hatch are flattened oval, as 
if compressed between the thumb and finger; the surface is quite scab- 
rous, and bears numerous minute transverse ridges; at each end of 
the egg are numerous quite large, shallow punctures; the color is a 
dark greyish drab, with a strong brassy tinge; length, about | """. 

These eggs are fastened to the small twigs of trees, in loose, irregu- 
lar patches, each egg lying on one of its flattened sides; there is no 
regularity in their arrangement upon the bark of the twig. One piece 
of a twig an inch and a half long by a quarter of an inch in diameter 
contains upwards of two hundred of these eggs. The young span-worm 
issues through a nearly circular hole in the larger end of the egg, and 
the empty eggshell is of an iridescent, pearly white color. 

The full-grown span-worm closely resembles the larva of the Eastern 
Angerona crocataria as figured on PI. viii. Fig. 6, of Packard's " Guide 
to the Study of Insects," but the piliferous spots are larger, giving to 
the body a much rougher appearance, and when viewed from the side 
there is seen to be a large prominence on the dorsum of the fourth and 
sixth segments as well as on the fifth and eleventh. I give herewith a 
detailed description of this span-worm, in order that it may be recog- 
nized in the future: 

Body of nearly an equal thickness throughout its length, the head and first tho- 
racic segment slightly wider than the rest of the body; head as seen from front a 
trifle wider than high, the lobes rounded and destitute of a tubercle or other proc- 
ess; color of head dark brown, variegated with yellowish; body light pinkish 
gray varied with darker gray or purplish, or sometimes with black and yellow, never 
marked w ith distinct lines ; piliferous spots tuberculiform, black, or dark brown, and 
back of each of the spiracles situated on the fifth and sixth segments is a large, coni- 
cal, fleshy prominence surmounted by apilifei'ous spot, and on the dorsum of each ol 
the segments four, five, six, and elcA^en, is a pair of similar but smaller prominences; 
in front of the pair of prominences on the dorsum of the eleventh segment is a pair 
of spots \vhich are of a clearer yellow or gray than the ground color, each spot 
usually bordered each side by a short black line; spiracles orange-yellow, ringed 
with black and usually situated on a yellow spot; venter concolorous with the upper 
side, marked in the middle with a faint whitish stripe, aud with a less distinct one 
near each outer edge; teu legs; length, 20'"''>. 



29 

These span-worms reacli tlioir full growth in May and then enter the 
earth to a de])th of from two to four inches; here each one forms a smooth 
cell, but does not spin a cocoon. The chrysalis state is assumed a few 
days after the cell is completed, but the moth does not issue until the 
following winter or early spring. The chrysalis is of the usual form, 
of a dark reddish brown color, and the posterior extremity bears two 
diverging spines; the tips of the wing-cases almost reach the posterior 
end of the fifth abdominal segment; length, 14™"\ 

Perhaps the most important enemies of these span-worms are cer- 
tain kinds of insectivorous birds, particularly the black birds, which 
1 repeatedly observed in the infested trees, and Mr. Coojier informs 
me that he has seen one of these birds carrying four of the span- 
worms in its beak. Of internal parasites, only one species is at pres- 
ent known to me to attack these span-worms; this is a small black, 
four-winged fly belonging to the genus Apanteles. The sides of its 
abdomen are largely yellow, the front and middle legs, including their 
coxfE, are also yellow, while the hind legs, with the exception of the 
tips of the femora and tibite, and the whole of the tarsi, are of the 
same color. I found several of the white cocoons of this parasite 
attached to the trunks of the infested trees on the 21st of May, and 
near each was the shrunken remains of one of the span-worms in which 
the parasite had lived. One of the parasitic flies issued one week 
later. It is probable that a Tachina-fly of some kind also attacks these 
span-worms; on the day above mentioned I found one of them to whose 
body was attached a white egg, evidently of one of these flies, but as 
no parasite issued from this span-worm I am unable to settle this point 
at the present time. 

Mr. Cooper informs me that he sj)rayed some of the infested trees 
with Buhach and water at the rate of 1 pound to 50 gallons, but this 
did not destroy the span-worms. lie also tried the kerosene emulsion, 
such as he uses for the destruction of the Black Scale {Lecanium olece) 
on olive trees, but this was not effectual. Paris green was also used 
in varying strengths, from 1 pound in 50 gallons to 1 pound in 200 gal- 
lons of water, and this latter strength he found effectually destroyed 
the span-worms without injuring the trees. With each 100 gallons of 
this mixture he used 20 pounds of a soap made principally of mutton 
tallow and caustic soda; this caused the solution to spread more 
readily over the leaves, and also had a tendency to cause the poison to 
adhere more firmly. The soap was first dissolved in hot water, after 
which the Paris green was added, then the balance of the water, and 
the solution was kept constantly stirred while being applied to the trees. 
Mr. Cooper informs me that five men — one to drive the team, one to 
stir the solution in the spraying tank, another to pump, and two to 
handle the spraying nozzles — sprayed on an average 27 of his largest 
walnut trees in a day; this is equivalent to one acre of tiees per day. 



30 

THE CODLING MOTH. 

{Carpocapaa pomoneUa Liun.) 

It is not my purpose to give a complete account of this insect at the 
present time; its habits and life history are pretty well known to those 
of our fruit growers who sufler by reason of the inroads it makes in 
their deciduous fruit crops. A very full account of this pest, written 
by Mr. L. O. Howard, will be found in the Annual Report of the U. S. 
Department of Agriculture for the year 1887 (pp. 88-115). I will there- 
fore simply record a few additional notes which have come uuder my 
observation during the last eight or nine years. 

In the above-mentioned account it is stated that in the northern 
pjirt of this country the Codling Moth is two-brooded, while in the 
south it is three-brooded. My uotes indicate that in California, as 
might be expected, it is also three-brooded, the moths from the hiber- 
nating worms issuing in the latter part of March and during the first 
half of April, those of the next brood appearing in June and during 
the first half of July, while the third brood of moths appear in August 
and the early part of September. 

Of the two kinds of internal parasites reported as preying upon the 
larvae and pupa? of the Codling Moth in this country, the Pimpla annu- 
lipes is not represented in my collection from California. The second 
species, Macrocentrus delicatus, not heretofore known to occur upon 
this coast, I have never bred from the larvjie of the Codling moth; but 
my notes indicate that on the 3d of September, 1891, I bred three 
specimens of this parasite from larvse of a Tortricid, Pcedisca strenuana 
Walker, which lives in the dry stems of a wild sunflower, Helianthus 
annuus. I notice that in volume in of Insect Life (p. 59), the editors 
record having bred this parasite from another Tortricid, the Cacoecia 
ferviclana, as well as from one of the D'cigger-mothB,, Acronyeta oblinita, 
making in all four different insects upon w^hich it is known to prey. 

In the above-mentioned account it is stated that the Dermestid 
beetles, Trogodcnna tarsals and Perimegatoma varief/attim, are reported 
as preying upon the pupa^ of the Codling Moth in California. My 
observations on the larva'- of these two beetles lead to the belief that 
the Trogoderma larva feeds upon dead insects, but will not attack the 
living ones; on the other hand, while the Perimegatoma larva doubt- 
less prefers dead insects upon which to feed, yet it will also feed upon 
the smaller living impie, or chrysalides, of moths; and perhaps also 
those of other insects. 

This latter larva bears quite a close resemblance to the one figured 
at 390, on page 448, of Packard's "Guide to the Study of Insects." 
It is of a dark browli color, with the sutures of the segments whitish ; 
the body is quite hard, somewhat flattened, of nearly an equal width 
throughout, except that the last fourth tiipers slightly posteriorly, 
and the body is a trifle widest at the fourth segment; there are appa- 



31 

rently only eleven segments, tlie first of which is the longest, and is 
nearly as long as wide; the last segment is rounded behind, and is des- 
titute of a projection of any kind; the body is thinly clothed, with 
rather long yellowish and dark-brown hairs, and in the older individu- 
als each of the last three or four segments bears a transverse pair of 
short, brush-like tufts of black hair, which are wanting in the younger 
individuals; the head is nearly as wide as the first segment of the 
body, is of a reddish brown color, and is thinly covered with rather 
long reddish hairs. This larva attains a length of about 6'"'", and 
tlie pupa is formed within the old larval skin, the latter simply split- 
ting open along the back. The larvte are found during the greater 
portion of the year, and are quite frequently met with among the dead 
leaves and other debris lying in the crotches of orange trees. I have 
bred the beetles in June and also in December. 

On the 17th of July, 1890, I found a larva of this kind engaged in 
feeding uj)on a dead and dry moth. I also inclosed three of them in a 
box containing a dead and dry chrysalis of the moth Tceniocampa rt(/ula, 
and in a few days they had devoured it. I then placed in their box a 
living chrysalis of this moth, but they did not harm it, and in due time 
it was changed to a moth. A fresh, living chrys^^is of a Tineld moth 
which I placed in their box, however, did not fare so well; I saw one of 
the larvPB feeding upon it, and it was finally entirely consumed. I also 
placed in their box a living chrysalis of a Codling Moth still in its 
cocoon, and they finally gnawed a hole through the cocoon, entered, 
and devoured the chrysalis. 

The fact above recorded, that one of these larviie was found feeding 
upon a dead, dry moth, and the further fact that the larvae devoured a 
dead dry chrysalis of a moth, but would not attack the living chrysalis 
of the same kind of moth-, is sufticient evidence to prove that these 
larvae prefer dead and dry insects to living ones. Still, the other cases 
here recorded indicate that under certain conditions they also attack 
the healthy living chrysalides. 

The larva of the Trogoderma quite closely resembles that of the 
Perimegatoma above described, but is a much more robust form; the 
body is widest at the last third of its length, and is of a lighter, more 
yellowish color; the short brushes of hairs on the posterior portion 
of the body of the older individuals are also yellow instead of black. 
I have repeatedly found these larvae within the empty cocoons of the 
Codling Moth, but there was nothing to indicate that they had entered 
the cocoons prior to the escape of the moths, and it is probable that they 
fed only upon the empty shell of tlie chrysalis and the cast-off" skin of 
the larva. I placed a dead and dry Horse-fly in a box containing several 
of these larvae, and they soon attacked it and in a comparatively short 
time reduced it to a powder. I then placed in their box a living larva 
and two living chrysalides of a Tineid moth, but they had not attacked 
either of them after a lapse of six weeks. This would seem to indicate 



32 

that tliese larvai feed only upon dead insects, aiidtliat they never attack 
those still alive. 

For the destruction of the Codling Motli our growers of deciduous 
fruits depend almost altogether upon spraying the young fruit with 
J'aris green and water. The proportions vary from 1 pound of the 
Paris green in 100 gallons of water to 1 pound in 200 gallons. My own 
observations and exi)erinients indicate that the former strength is lia- 
ble to injure the leaves somewhat, so it will be advisable to use it not 
stronger than at the rate of 1 pound to 200 gallons of water. 

On the 12th of May, 1890, I had tAveuty-two pear trees sprayed with 
Paris green and water at the rate of 1 pound in 160 gallons, and to 
this was added 4 gallons of the resin wash, composetl of: resin, 20 
l)ounds; caustic soda, (> pounds; fish oil, 3 pints, and water sufficient to 
make 100 gallons. This was added for the purpose of causing the solu- 
tion to si)read more readily over the trees and fruit. These pear trees 
were kindly i^laced at my disjiosal by Mr. C. H. Richardson, of Pasadena. 
They averaged about 10 feet in height, and the tops measured about 4 
feet in diameter. Twenty eight gallons of this solution were used on 
these twenty-two trees. I examined them at intervals throughout the 
summer; the fruit had not been in the least injured by the solution, 
but a very few of the leaves had small brown spots burned in them, not 
sufficient, however, to j)roduce any material injury. When ripe, fully 
five-sixths of the pears on these trees were free from the attacks of the 
larvae of the Codling Moth, whereas on adjacent trees not treated 
nearly all of the fruit had been attacked by these larvre. 

Throughout the entire summer season these sprayed trees remained 
free from the attacks of the Pear-slug [Eriocampa ccrasi Peck), although 
I found leaves on some of these trees in which the eggs of this insect 
had been deposited; and upon adjacent pear, apple, and quince trees 
that had not been sprayed these slugs Avere quite numerous. It Avould 
well repay our growers to spray their trees with the above-mentioned 
solution as a i)rotection against the attacks of these slugs and other 
leaf eating insects. 

It is the custom of some of the growers in the northern iiart of the 
State to first dissolve the Paris green in ammonia before adding it to 
the water, but it is very doubtful that this is any improvement. 
Ammonia is known to be very injurious to vegetation whenever brought 
in contact with it. I am informed by Dr. H. W. Wiley, the chemist of 
this Department, that Paris green, whi(;h ordinarily consists of a mix- 
ture composed of one molecule of the acetate of copper and three mole- 
cules of the arsenite of copper, is changed to an entirely different 
chemical compound when treated w ith ammonia, this compound then 
consisting of the acetate and the arsenite of ammonia combined with 
an ammoniate of copper — a mixture much more soluble in water than 
Paris green is. It is evident that the more insoluble the Paris green 
is rendered the less liability there will be of its injuring the foliage of 



33 

trees sprayed with it, and there will be less danger of its being washed 
oif of the trees by the rains. Instead, therefore, of seeking to render it 
more solnble, the opposite course should be pursued, and, if possible, 
the Paris green should be treated in such a manner as to render it 
wholly insoluble in water. To accomplish this result it is only neces- 
sary to mix a pound of freshly slaked lime with each pound of the 
Paris green, add a gallon or two of water, and let stand over night. 
Treated in this way, the portion of the Paris green that is soluble in 
water, and that produces the injury to the trees sprayed with it, unites 
with the lime to forma compound wholly insoluble in water; by this 
simple and inexpensive treatment the Paris green is rendered harmless 
to the tree, while at the same time its poisonous nature is not lessened 
to any appreciable extent. This process was first used by Prof. 0. P. 
Gillette, now entomologist of the Colorado Experiment Station, aaid 
his observations have been confirmed by a number of other experi- 
menters. 

The great benefits resulting from treating fruit trees with Paris green 
for the destruction of the Codling Moth are well understood by the 
majority of our growers of deciduous fruits, a few of whom have learned 
this by bitter experience. At a recent meeting of the horticultural 
commissioners of southern California, Mr. John Scott, the commissioner 
for Los Angeles County, stated that early in the present season he in- 
structed his inspector in a certain locality to serve a notice on all of 
the fruit growers in his district to spray their pear and apple trees with 
Paris green and water for the destruction of the Codling Moth. The 
majority of the growers complied with the request, but one of them, for 
some reason, asked to be allowed to defer the spraying for a short time, 
and his request was granted. The spraying, however, was deferred 
longer than was originally intended, and it Avas now^ considered too late 
in the season to obtain good results, so his trees were not sprayed. 
Long before his pears were ripe this grower made a contract with the 
manager of one of the canneries in this city whereby he was to deliver 
his crop of pears to the cannery, for which he was to receive the sum of 
$2,000. When, however, he delivered his first load of iiears, so badly 
were they infested with thedarvae of the Codling Moth that the manager 
of the cannery refused to accept them. The grower then offered them 
at three-quarters of the original price, but his offer was refused ; he next 
offered them for one-half of the price originally agreed upon, but the 
manager informed him that he would not accept the pears even if they 
were given to him free of all expense. By the outlay of a very small 
sum of money necessary for spraying the trees aU of this loss to the 
grower might have been averted, 
19866— No. 30—^ 



REPOET UrON INSECT INJURIES IN NEBRASKA DURING 
THE SUMMER OF 1892. 



By Lawrence Bruner, Special Agent. 



letter of submittal. 

Lincoln, Nebr., Nov. 12, 1892. 
Sir : As special field agent for Nebraska, I submit herewitli a report upon insect 
injuries in this State during the summer of 1892. The report touches upon the out- 
look for destructive locusts, but is mainly devoted to a consideration of certain sugar- 
beet insects, with a brief notice of the miscellaneous injurious insects of the season. 
Very respectfully yours, 

Lawrence Bruner. 
C. V. Kiley, 

U. S. Entomologist, . 



DESTRUCTIVE LOCUSTS. 

On accoimt of tlie great amoimt of injury done by destructive locusts 
during the past few years and because of their threatened increase 
again early the present season in many localities over the country at 
large, a careful watch has been maintained during the season that has 
just passed for reported injury to crops by these much-dreaded insects. 
It is with jjleasure, therefore, that I am enabled to state that com- 
paratively little damage has been done by them the country over. 
True, in a few localities, there was some local injury 5 but, when we 
take into consideration the fact that last year a number of different 
species were unusually numerous in various portions of the country, 
west, north, south, and east, it is certainly encouraging, to say the 
least, that so little injury has resulted the present year. 

Here in Nebraska several species hatched in rather large numbers 
and began to do some injury to gardens; but during the summer these 
became more or less infested with parasites of different kinds. These 
parasites thinned their ranks materially. In a number of localities the 
fungous disease known as Emj^usa grylli killed off myriads of the 

34 



35 

remaining: individuals, while at the same time others became literally 
covered with the Locust Mite [Tromhidium locustarum). In fact, so 
extensively were these insects beset with afflictions of one or another 
kind that but few eggs Averc deposited. Even where they were, the 
large number of the egg parasites present will likely insure comi)ar- 
ative immunity from locust attack next year. 

From the northward we have heard but little of the pest that at one 
time last year appeared to be becoming so formidable. In central 
Idaho and portions of Utah and Nevada, where several species did 
considerable damage to both crops and grasses on the range, compara- 
tively little injury has been reported, while from Colorado, western 
Kansas, and southwestward, the pest seems to have dwindled to nearly 
the normal condition for the region. Even in portions of Indiana, 
Ohio, and other sections of the East, where last year these insects did 
some injury, the conditions have somewhat improved. 

CAUSES I'OR THIS DECREASE IN THEIR NUMBERS. 

It is not at all surprising that these insects have so suddenly become 
less numerous in the many localities where they were so recently 
threatening devastation. The large number of parasites and preda- 
ceous insects wl^ch attack them have had an opportunity to increase 
also. These latter, together with the Entomophthora, which has been 
unusually abundant and severe during the past few years, have com- 
bined in reducing the pest. Here in the city of Lincoln and envi- 
ronments this year the dead bodies of Melanoplus differcnUaUs were 
to be seen by the thousands clinging to weeds, stems of grasses, and 
other vegetation, where they Avere overtaken by death from the effects 
of the disease. On some single weeds more than a dozen of the hop- 
pers were frequently to be seen. The dead bodies of other species like 
the femur-ruhrum, hivittatics and atlanis were also occasionally to be 
met with upon the same weeds. These latter were, however, much less 
common. 

One feature observed in connection with the distribution of locusts 
of this region was the presence in many parts of middle and eastern 
Nebraska of such species as Bissosteira longijieimis and Melanoplus spre- 
/ms, which must have come from abroad. Here at Lincoln both of these 
species Avereof quite common occurrence. On the university campus 
a female of the former was taken in coitu with a male of Bissosteira 
Carolina. Other specimens of the same species were taken at Norfolk, 
Grand Island, West Point, and Columbus, and even in the vicinity of 
Hot Springs, S. Dak. 

Such species as Cammila pellucida and the glaucous-legged form of M. 
atlanis, that have been mentioned on former occasions as gradually 
moving eastward and southward, were this year met with in rather 
large numbers in different parts of the Black Hills and even in the 
northwestern counties of Nebraska. 



36 

BEET INSECTS. 

Possibly more attention was paid during the summer to sugar-beet 
enemies than to any other elass of insect pests in the region watched 
by me. This was due to the interest which is centered in that partic- 
ular crop at the present time and also because of my having already paid 
considerable attention to this subject. It is needless, therefore, for me 
to state that during the season several additional species have been 
found attacking that plant here in Nebraska. Among these a small 
Ilemipteron {Madronema miUtaris Uhl.), that has heretofore been fre- 
quently seen and taken on different species of Amarantus in the 
western part of the state and in Colorado, was very common, in fact 
quite numerous, upon a small patch of beets in Sioux county during 
the latter part of July. Like others of these Hemii)tera it attacks 
the leaves and leaf stems by inserting its beak and sucking the sap. 
Usually, but not always, the points attacked show as stained or i>ar- 
tially deadened spots. Two or three additional leaf-hoppers were also 
taken upon beets here and at Norfolk, West Point, Grand Island and 
other locaties where beet fields were visited. These, however, Avere not 
present in sufficient numbers to do any uoticeable injury to the parts 
attacked. Tlie uanies ol' these were not ascertained, but will be re- 
ported later if deemed advisable. • 

Blister-beetles of several species, though none that were new to the 
plant, were unusually common and troublesome at a number of locali- 
ties within this State and parts of Kansas during the season. Here at 
Lincoln, as well as at oiher localities, the common black one, Ujjicaitta 
2)en7isylvanica, was exceedingly anuoying to the owners of patches of 
beets. This beetle always comes and goes in conqiaratively large num- 
bers, and one never knows where it will settle in the field. Choosing 
certain plants the insects congregate upon them and either eat the 
leaves full of holes or completely strip off' all the foliage before going 
to the adjoining ])lauts. Or, x:)Ossibly, as soon as one plant has been 
stripped, they Avill go to another part of the patch or else leave alto- 
gether. In Sioux county the small Spotted P>lister-beetle, Eplcanta 
maculata, appeared to be the most common of these insects, and 
was always met with in large numbers on upland wherever beets were 
growing or a clump of the Chenopodium album occurred. Others of the 
blister-beetles Avere taken in the beet fields during the season, but 
these were present in much smaller numbers, and did but little dam- 
age as compared Avith Av^hat Avas done by the two species named above. 
Hand x>icking Avas more successfidly used in combating these insects 
than any other remedy tried. Poisons in the case of Epicanta pennst/l- 
vanica proved to be of little or no value, since the insects often left 
immediately after the application was made, and at all times before 
they had eaten sufficient of the poisoned leaves to have any AMsible 
effect upon them. In the case of the Spotted Blister-beetle, poison Avas 
not tried that I am aware of j but I believe it would be more effective 



3? 

against it than agnmst pennsylvanica, for the former is less easily dis- 
tiirbed wlieii feediug, besides being more regular in its habits than the 
latter. Like that species it is exceedingly gregarious in its nature, 
and always occurs in inmiense numbers when found at all. 

Some indications were found at West Point of the possible injury 
that can be inflicted upon the beet crop by White Grubs. Here on 
one small field it was found that fully 15 per cent of the beets had been 
killed or injured by some insect working under ground. An investiga- 
tion soon showed the criminal to be the grubs of some one or more sy)g- 
cies of LadDiosterna. These grubs had eaten away the tap-root and 
all the fine fibrous roots at a distance varying. from G to 8 or 9 inches 
below the surface, but averaging- about 7 inches. A dry spell coming 
on the tops began wilting, and finally died, after Avhich the roots rotted 
in the ground. In this case the ground had been idle a year or more. 
This would suggest to us the' advisability of not using grass land for 
beets; but to plant in ground that has been thoroughly cultivated for 
two or more years prior to its use for beets. 

The Beet Wcb-u'orm. — Preeminent among the insects that attacked the 
beet crop here in Nebraska during the season which is just coming to a 
close, were two or more species of web worms belonging to the genus Loxo- 
stege as at present restricted. Of these the one known as Loxostege siic- 
iicalis has been the chief depredator. Its history as an injurious species 
can be given briefly, as follows : By investigations instituted here at the 
experiment station only after the injuryhad mostly occurred it was ascer- 
tained that last year it was noticed that beets growing in the vicinity 
of Grand Island, Norfolk, and some of the adjoining towns, whicb sup- 
plied the beets for the two factories in the state, were infested by a 
few of the worms. These, however, did not appear in sufiQcient num- 
bers to cause alarm at the time, or even to suggest to the interested 
parties the advisability of learning something of their nature, life his- 
tory, and j)ossible remedies. This year the caterpillars again made 
their appearance in these same localities and also at the Government 
station located at Schuyler. Considerable injury was done at this last- 
named locality on the experimental plats of sugar beets by a brood of 
the worms that matured late in July. Whether or not this was the 
first brood that appeared during the season is not positively known; 
but that it was the first brood that did visible injury is quite evident. 
Had this been otherwise the notice of Mr. Maxwell would have been 
called to them earlier in the season. As soon as the insect was ob- 
served by him to threaten the beets in his charge, as I am informed, 
specimens were at once sent to you in Washington. ' He also told me 
that exi)eriments were at once started with a view to controlling the 
pest. Just what was accomplished in that direction I was unable to 
learn at the time of my visit to Schuyler on the last of August when the 
next brood was at its worst, but I presume he has reported to the 
Department just what was accomplished in this direction. 



38 

We (lid not liave the insect here at Lincoln in sufficient numbers to 
attract attention. Although several larvicof the ordinary (larden Web- 
worm {Loxostege simUalis) had been taken early in July, nothing was 
thought of the matter and no further considerations taken concerning 
them until after the destructive brood had done its work at Grand 
Islan^l and Sidiuyler, and a report of its presence and injuries was seen 
ill the state papers. A special inspection of our beet plats at this time 
resulted in the finding of a number of specimens of another web-worm 
that we had noticed on several former occasions working on Amarantus 
and Chenopodium, but not on the beet. Upon visiting tlie station at 
Schuyler it Avas found that this second web-worm was identical with 
the one which occurred there; and, as Dr. Maxwell assured me, the 
same as was then present at Grand Island and several others of the 
surrounding towns where beets were being grown. A couple days 
later the same insect was found to be quite plentiful at Norfolk, Platte 
Center, and Genoa, where" many of the beet fields either had been 
stripped or were at the time being stripped of their leaves. At Norfolk 
the greater part of half a day was spent in com^^any with Mr. Huxman, 
the agriculturist in charge of the fields which supply that factory. 
Here a careful examination of the grounds was made and some facts 
gathered in relation to the insect as it appeared in this locality at least. 
Several new insects were here added to the list of " beet insects " as 
heretofore recorded. Afterward Norfolk, Stanton, Wisner, Beemer, 
and West Point were visited. At each of these localities sugar beets 
had been planted for the Norfolk factory, and at each some signs of 
the insect in question were found, though in much smaller numbers 
than where beets had been grown the year before. 

From observations made at these different localities, and from infor- 
mation gatliered through conversations held Avith various persons who 
were interested in the culture of beets, the foHowiug facts Avere gath- 
ered: These Aveb-Avorms are more numerous aAvay from sheltered locali- 
ties than near bordering groves; and on high grounds, as hill tops and 
slopes, than on low flat grounds; they are never plentiful on a piece of 
ground planted to beets for the first time unless it adjoins one that was 
in this crop the year before; they are more plentiful in the middle of 
large fields than in small ones, and those that Avere alloAved to run to 
"pig weeds" the preceding year, than in those where these weeds were 
kept down. The insects are also apparently more numerous Avhere the 
soil is sandy than where it is heavier; at least this latter appeared 
to be the case in the localities Avhere I made my observations. It Avas 
also learned that these web-AVorms are very subject to the attack of a 
number of parasitic insects, as Avell as falling prey to several species of 
predaceous beetles, bugs, and wasps, while birds and toads seem to rel- 
ish them. Chief among the parasites reared from the specimens se- 
cured at Schuyler, Norfolk, and Grand Island is a small yellowish 
Hymenopterous fly. Next in point of numbers is a species of flesh-fly. 



39 

This latter was observed to be rather common in the fields both at 
Schuyler and Norfolk, while it has been bred in tairly large numbers 
from Grand Island worms. In addition to these, several other para- 
sites have thus far been bred from the web worms contained in my 
breeding cages. 

As to the life history of these web-worms we are posted only in a 
general way, and not specifically. Our observations on the present spe- 
cies, Loxosteye stlctkaUs, have not extended over a period of more than 
three months, hence we can not positively assert how it carries itself 
throughout the year. That it varies somewhat in its transformations 
and developments at different periods of the year is quite evident from 
what little we have seen of it so Sir. But two weeks is required be- 
tween the maturity of the late July caterpillars and the appearance of 
the moths for the next brood. These immediately mate and deposit 
their eggs for another brood. The worms must therefore transform- to 
chrysalids immediately after entering the grdtind. Such is not the case 
with the caterpillers of the last brood. With these the chrysalis stage 
is not entered for some time — possibly not until very late in the fall or 
even during the following spring. When I visited tlie Grand Island 
fields, fully three weeks after the last worms had entered the ground, 
they were found still in the caterpillar stage. Even at the present 
writing most of those in my breeding cages are unchanged. In this 
respect the insect imitates the slugs of some of our saw-flies. Its bur- 
row is made and lined with silk, and the inner cocoon constructed 
immediately on entering the ground, but the worm instead of at once 
changing to the pupa stage lies in a semi-torpid condition until the 
proper time arrives for the change to take place, whether the insect 
enters the ground during the summer brood or broods when transform- 
ing, was not learned; but, if its life history is similar to that of the 
common Garden Web-worm, Loxostege similalis, it does not, but merely 
spin among the debris on top of the ground. Some of the larvte of the 
August brood transformed and issued during September and October. 
It is barely possible that there is another set of caterpillars produced 
by these stragglers during the fall if the weather permits; but, as 
indicated above, the majority of the August brood remain unchanged 
until sometime during the following spring. 

At least three distinct forms of these web-worms were taken from 
beet fields in different parts of the State, and a fourth one was found 
upon Chenopodium album growing in waste places here at Lincoln. 
Possibly still others might have been recognized if a close observation 
had been kept for that purpose. The similar food habits among the 
species of a genus of insects will very likely give us several more of 
these web- worms to add to our already large list of beet insects. 

The web-worm found feeding on the Chenopodium album here at Lin- 
coln can be recognized by the following description which was drawn 
up at the time of capture, and before it spun up : Length, 20'"'» j slender, 



40 

tapering gently towards both ends. Of .a light transparent green, the 
head and cervical shield inclining to amber yellow, but with a greenish 
tinge. Four small, Avhitish piliferous spots upon dorsum of segments — 
the anterior pair somewhat nearest together. Very fine hairs arising 
from these piliferous spots, as well as from sides. Larva very active — 
jumping aside and squirming vigorously when touched, as in the larvie 
of Garden and Beet Web-worms. Also spins a slight web when feeding, 
to which it retreats when at rest. 

Mamestra sp. — While walking through the beet fields at E"orfolk 
a number of specimens of a Noctuid larva, ai)parently a Mamestra, 
were taken, in company with the web-worms mentioned above. This 
larva is about the size and has something of the same general appear- 
ance of the dark form of M. chenopodii, but differs from that insect in 
habits and markings. It was apparently quite iilentiful, as specimens 
were taken at several different points in the fields, and three of them 
were found on a single row within 6 feet of one another. None of them 
were reared, as my breeding jar was overturned and the caterpillars 
destroyed by some one who meddled with affairs not belonging to his 
duties. 

Anthomyia sp. — In connection with beet insects it might be well here 
to refer to a Dipterous larva that was taken herein Lincoln mining the 
leaves of Ghenopodmm album. Whether or not this is one of the spe- 
cies of Anthomyia which Lintner found mining the leaves of beet in 
New York, I can not say; but, from what I have observed heretofore 
in connection with these weed-feeding insects, there is danger of all of 
the enemies of the Chenopodaceous plants attacki_ng the beet. Hence, 
whether this is a recorded enemy of the beet or not, it is very liable to 
become such sometime in the future. In its mode of attack this larva 
is somewhat peculiar, entering the leaf and feeding upon the pulp it soon 
separates the cuticles, making the leaves appear blistered. The mag- 
got, in case of the Chenopodium, requires the substance of severalleaves 
before coming to maturity, hence is obliged to pass from one leaf to 
another. These maggots are from 7 to 8'"'" in length and nearly 2'"'" 
in their greatest diameter. When ready to transform they enter the 
ground and there undergo their change to the pupa. One of the im- 
agos issued within ten days of the time of entering the ground. The 
others, of which there were five, are still in the ground. 

Silpha opaca. — During my visit at Norfolk and while talking with 
Mr. Huxman relative to Beet Insects in general, he mentioned tlie fact 
of the injury done by Silpha opaca in Germany. He said that the larva 
of this beetle was by all odds the most troublesome insect pest with 
which beet growers in that country had to deal. Hand picking was 
the remedy usually resorted to. He also stated that he had seen sev- 
eral specimens of the insect during the past summer at West Point, 
this State, upon sugar beets, and that he had killed them. He said 
that he could not be mistaken about the insect, as he had seen too 



41 

many of tlieni in Europe not to know tlicm at siglit. With this second 
reported presence of this insect in beet fiekls at this one locality it 
begins to appear that jierhaps, after all, it is present in America. 

CHINCH-BUG NOTES. 

While this insect has not been general over the State, it has begun 
to increase in such numbers in some of the counties along our southern 
boundary as to cause an uneasy feeling among the farmers of the sec- 
tion iu question. Several letters have been received from different 
individuals in the counties of Xuckolls, Franklin, and Fillmore, asking 
for aid in the suppressing of this insect, which, as their letters stated, 
was becoming quite numerous and was threatening the fall wheat. 
They all asked for diseased bugs with which "to innoculate the healthy 
ones" in their respective neighborhoods. These letters were received 
during the latter part of September. Heavy rains have fallen in the 
region since, and nothing further concerning the bugs has been heard. 

MISCELLANEOUS INSECTS. 

Aside from the damage to beets by web-worms, the most marked 
injury done by insect pests in Nebraska during the season which has 
just come to a close was due to the presence of several species of cater- 
pillars and saw-fly larvae. Some of these have been excessively numer- 
ous in portions of the State, where they did great injury to the trees 
attacked. Some of these were the tent caterpillars, Fall Web-worm, 
the Walnut Datana, Cecrox)ia larva. Green-striped Maple- worm. Tus- 
sock ]\roth, the Ash-free Sphinx, Ccelodiisys unicornis, and a sjiecies of 
Lyda (?) that worked upon the wild and tame plums. The Pear-tree 
Saw-fly also made its appearance within the State and did some injury 
to trees growing near Norfolk, in Madison County. 

In towns and cities the caterpillar iDest appears to be greatly on the 
increase, and it is next to impossible to impress upon the authorities 
the necessity for taking decis^ive steps toAvard their destruction. The 
comparative absence of insectivorous birds and of j^redaceous and x)ara- 
sitic insects is the cause for their increase. These latter are kept down 
by the burning of rubbish and other refuse under which they hide and 
spend their winters. 



EEPORT ON INSECTS OF THE SEASON IN IOWA. 



By Herbert Osborn. 



LETTER OF SUBMITTAL. 

Ames, Iowa, Xovemher 5, 189S. 
Dear Sir: T inclose herewith a report on some of the observations for the year 
1892, and beg to acknowledge at this time the many favors received which have been 
a material assistance in the prosecution of the year's work. 
Very respectfullj' yours, 

Herbert Osborn. 
Dr. C. V. Riley, 

U. S. Entomologist, Washington, D. C. 



Perhaps the most striking features of the insect conditions the 
present year have been the almost total absence of many of the com- 
mon pests during the early part of the season, a consequent slight 
amount of damage from insect attack, and the rapid multiplication of 
insects during the later months of the year and some quite conspicuous 
injuries. One of the most striking instances of this is to be noted in 
the plant-lice which were exceptionally rare during the spring and sum- 
mer, but in late summer and autumn multiplied prodigiously and caused 
serious injuries to many kinds of plants. 

The season was unusually backward and the spring months marked 
by much rain and cold weather, which retarded insect life in general. 

Such reports as were received during the early part of the season 
indicated little if any damage even from such common pests as cut- 
worms, squash beetles, etc. 

The species of " bill-bugs " (Sphenophorus), which have been scarcely 
noticed in the State heretofore, have become plentiful, and one species, 
^phenopliorus parvuhis, quite threatening in its attacks upon corn. This 
indicates naturally a considerable damage to grasses and probably 
wheat and other cereals, which passes without notice. It is quite prob- 
able that this species will deman<l serious attention from Iowa farmers 
during the next few years. Hplunophorous ochreus has attracted some 
42 



43 

attention, bnt no serious damage has resulted from its presence so far 
as I know, and I do not anticipate from it any serious difficulties for 
this State. Attention has been called to these in a paper read before 
the Association of Economic Entomologists at Eochester and pub- 
lished in Insect Life (vol. v, p. Ill), and no further notice of them 
need be given hero. Several cases of insects affecting grain in storage 
have come to my notice, and especially in the case of mill owners there 
seems to.be a decided interest in the subject and a desire to adopt 
remedies for the insect pests that infest their mills. It is needless to 
add that the recommendation of bisulphide of carbon has given very 
satisfactory results. 

The Potato Stalk Weevil {Trichoharis trhwtata Say) has been quite 
plentiful and destructive, causing a loss of a large perceiittage of the 
crop on the college f\irm and probably over a considerable part of the 
State, though from the nature of its attack it seems to escape the 
notice of most growers. 

A quite notable outbreak which came directly under observation was 
that of the Diamond-back Moth [PluteUa criieiferurum) upon Rape, 
Cabbage, Cauliflower, and related plants. This insect has seldom 
caused any noticeable injury, though often observed as occurring in 
limited numbers, but this year it became so abundant as to seriously 
damage all the patches of Kape on the college grounds. The worms 
are so well protected in folds of the plant leaf and many of them on 
the under side that they are difficult to kill, and sprays of London 
purple were only partially successful, and it seemed that this poison 
applied in the form of powder diluted with flour and blown among the 
leaves was more effective. 

The Cabbage Plusia {Phisia hrassic(e) was also plentiful and accom- 
panied the jireceding species in their attacks on Rape, Cabbage, etc. 
For a time they caused more injury than that species. They were, 
however, attacked by a disease that swept many of them off", so that 
their damage was perhaps not so important in the aggregate as that 
of the preceding species. 

The Imported Cabbage Butterfly {Pieris rapce) was not seen at all 
in the early part of the season and it was thought that the Apanteles 
(jlomeratus mentioned in last season's report had accomplished a thor- 
ough work ; but late in August and early in September butterflies ap- 
peared in large numl)ers and larvte were fairly plentiful in some cab- 
bage patches during October. Of course the scarcity during the fore 
part of the season may have been due to the previous abundance of 
liarasites, but it shows that such parasitism does not furnish a perma- 
nent check. Specimens received from Des INIoines were abundantly 
parasitized with Pteromahis imparum, and this species, with the Apan- 
teles glomeratus and the epidemic disease that occasionally sweeps them 
away, certainly conspire to assist greatly in the reduction of damage 
from this widespread pest. 



44 

Specimens of the larv£e of tlie Army Worm {Leucfcnia unipvncta) 
were received from Muscatine County with the information that they 
were injuring crops in a considerable area in that county, but as they 
were evidently full grown probably their injuries ceased almost im- 
mediately afterward, so that I have no further information as to in- 
juries from them or of their being present in any other localities in that 
part of the State. 

The Clover-seed Caterpillar {GraphoUtha interstinctann) was again 
plentiful and caused a considerable loss in the clover crop. This 
species feeds readily on the leaves or in the crown of the plant and so 
does much injury aside from its destruction of the clover seed. 

A common Pyralid moth related to the species of Crambus, the 
WomopMla noctuella, was extremely plentiful in grass land during early 
October, swarms of them being seen in all pastures and meadows. In 
a previous report I have called attention to this species as a probable 
serious pest in grasses, with habits similar to those of Crambus, and 
the observations this season on the numbers of the adults and their 
habits confirm my opinion that they have larval habits similar to 
Crambus and that they must cause a serious loss in pastures and 
meadows. Work upon other species has precluded any effort to trace 
the larval history the past season, and so far as I am aware nothing 
has been recorded with regard to it. It seems to me well deserving of 
investigation. The imagos of Gramhus exsiccatus, a species which has 
heretofore been reported upon, with details of its life history, Avere 
I)lentiful this season, but not in such numbers as in some former years. 
Still they may be counted as among the very constant destructive 
species. 

Edema aJhifrons was quite plentiful on Oak, and has been received 
from other h)calitles, and would seem to be more than ordinarily 
destructive this season. 

The larvae of quite a number of Lepidoptera that are usually rather 
scarce or inconspicuous were during autumn cpiite abundant. Among 
these I may mention Papilio crespJiontes, which, though usually very 
rare here, was taken in considerable numbers upon Prickly Ash. 
3Iamestra picta, generally rare here (which may sound strange to ento. 
mologists in some other localities), was fairly common, though not to be 
counted a destructive species. Actias luna was quite common and 
many specimens were brought in by students. Also HypercMria w, 
very seldom seen in any great numbers, was found in considerable 
numbers. Datana angusii, as usual, was abundant, and Grapta inter- 
rogationis and Vanessa antiopa were conspicuous in their attacks. The 
counnon species, rapilio turnus and Papilio asterias, were more abun- 
dant than usual, and in some cases did damage to their respective food- 
plants. 

At the meeting of the Association of Economic Entomologists held 
in August I reported some notes on the life histories of certain Jassi- 



45 

d.ne wliicli have been noted as specially destructive in this State, and 
which have a general distribution over the country. Since these have 
a general importance and some further details have been worked out 
since the presentation of that paper, I will venture to repeat briefly the 
facts as at iireseiit available. 

A quite important step has been gained in the determination of the 
winter conditions of the strictly grass-feeding sj»ecies, notably Dclto- 
cephahis inimicun, D. dehilis, and JDiedrocephala moUipes. These all 
deposit eggs in autumn in the leaves or stems of grass and the eggs 
remain in such situations over winter, hatching in sjjring. 

The suggestion made in my report for 1889 (Bulletin 22, Div. Ent., U. 
S. Dept. Agriculture) is therefore well founded, and the burning over 
of grass land in late fall or early spring, when the grass is dry enough to 
burn down to near the surface of the ground, should prove a most effec- 
tive and inexpensive method of treatment for pastures and meadows to 
reduce the numbers of these pests. 

The life histories of the most common and abundant species may 
now be summarized as follows: 

DeUocephalm inimicus. — Larvse hatch from eggs deposited in fall, the 
larva? appearing when fairly warm weather begins — ordinarily in Aj)ril. 
The larvfe is at first light colored, but after the first molt has a black 
lateral border, a character by means of which it can be readily sepa- 
rated from dehilis. These larvie mature by the latter part of June, 
and imagos are plentiful during the last of June and fore part of July, 
becoming scarce again the latter part of that month, but depositing eggs 
which hatch in July and early August, and larvae are very plentiful 
during early August and mature during the latter part of that month 
and early in September. This brood deposits eggs which remain over 
winter, though some of the earlier deposited eggs probably hatch in 
the tail and produce a late brood of larvae, some of which seem to mature, 
and this probably accounts for the numerous individuals sometimes to 
be seen on warm days in late autumn and early winter. These seem to 
all perish before spring and i)robably without depositing any eggs. 
There is naturally a considerable amount of irregularity in the first 
appearance of adults and the time of e,^g deposition, but as these 
broods observed in the field have been paralleled with laboratory breed- 
ings there can remain little doubt as to the normal number and the 
time at which the bulk of the broods appear. 

Deltoeephalus debills has practically the same life history, except that 
the broods appear about two weeks earlier, so that some adults will be 
found at the time the majority of inimicus are nearly grown larvae. 
This nuikes it possible to use the tar x>an at the time when the greatest 
numbers may be secured, which for most seasons will be at the time 
of the appearance of larvae of both species, in late May and early June, 
again in early July, and a third time, if necessary, late in July or early 
in August. Of course applications will be made with reference to times 



46 

when liirvcP or adults are noticed as hopping abundantly, and it seems 
from results of this season's work that the greatest numbers of hop- 
pers are captured in the afternoonsofAvarm days, with little or no wind, 
the hoppers seeming to jump best between 3 and 6 p. m. 

Further tests of the tar pan have confirmed its value in destroying 
these pests, and a field test made with the cooperation of the farm 
dei)artment of the Experiment Station, and reported in full in Bulletin 
19, Iowa Experiment Station, has shown that its use will practically 
enable the farmer to keep a larger number of cattle, sheep, or other 
animals upon grass laud. In the experiment referred to, the result 
showed a gain of 68 per cent, but inasmuch as the experimental plat 
lay alongside other grass land and was subject to invasion from this, 
it seems to me that by a continued use of the treatment and over whole 
pastures, so as to preclude migration of insects from adjacent areas, we 
would get a still better result, and while it is perhaps too nmch to 
hope to get an increase sufficient to double the number of animals pas- 
tured on an ordinary field, I should hope to secure some such propor- 
tion, at least, if other destructive insects were also kept within bounds. 

Another very widespread and destructive species is the ])iedvocei)hala 
moUipes, and this has been the subject of a thesis study by Mr. J. A. 
Kolfs, a senior student in entomology here this year. The main facts 
in its life history may be stated in brief in this connection. The eggs 
in fall are mostly deposited in the rank grass of low ground, the insects 
preferring low ground during dry weather, which usually prevails for 
a few weeks in autumn. The larvae hatching in spring, during May or 
early June, become adult by the latter part of June or early July, and 
in ordinary seasons will largely migrate to higher ground and deposit 
eggs, so that the second brood of larvae, which appears in September, 
for the most part will be found widely distributed on both high and 
low ground, and may cause great damage. These larvae mature by 
early October, and the imagos will, many of them, move to low ground 
to deposit eggs. It is evident that the burning over of sloughs and 
swampy or low ground is very desirable in the treatment of this 
species. 

Plant-lice have been very plentiful during the autumn months, a 
strong contrast to their scarcity during the early part of the season. 
I had hardly returned from the Rochester meeting, where I reported a 
scarcity of these insects, when they became very consx^icuous in their 
abundance. 

Myzus perslcw on wild plum trees was among the species most notice- 
able, but the injuries it caused were by no means so severe as occurs 
when it is abundant in the early part of the season and attacks the 
growing twigs and the fruit. 

Aphis hrassicw was specially noticeable on Rape, where it caused a 
considerable amount of damage, rendering the crop unfit for feeding. 
It was quite numerously infested with parasites in late autumn. 



47 

Many other species were abuiKlant, and especially durinj:? October 
hosts of individuals were seen migrating from their summer locations 
to the plants which support their winter eggs. On some of these 
observations were made, but they can best be included in a discussion 
of the species in detail when their full life histories are worked out. 

Last year I made a trip for the Division to western Kansas to inves- 
tigate a local outbreak of grasshoppers, a report of which, with the 
reconunendations suggested, was published iu Insect Life, vol. iv, p. 49. 

Naturally, I was interested to know the outcome for the present sea- 
son and wrote to xjarties in Garden City and Lakin, asking for a state- 
ment as to the abundance and injuries and what steps, if any, were 
taken in destroying them. I received two letters, from which I extract 
the following : 

Gardkn City, Kans., August 20, 1802. 

Dkak Sir: The grasshopper has been quite bad in localities. I think, from 
reports, that it will do almost as much damage as last year in the aggregate. On a 
few farms tlie wheat was injured and oats entirely destroyed — probably not more 
than one-half crop at the best. Farmers report that the fly is not killing many of 
them. Machines were made for capturing them. Some report large numbers taken. 

Andrew Sabine. 

Later. — Since writing the within I have been making inquiries and find that the 
hopper has been destructive only in spots. Wheat has not been injured. Some 
fields of oats destroyed. In other places only a few acres would be destroyed. Tbey 
are commenciug to disappear. Some say that they are dying rapidly. I met no one 
who had looked for the cause of death. Toads were innumerable this year — so much 
so that ''everybody'' was talking about it. I think the damage this year will fall 
much below that of 1891. 

A. S. 

Lakin, Kans., August 7, 1S93. 

* * * As to the number of hoppers I see very little difference from last year. 
By far the most damage has been done by Melanoplus differentialis. I send you some 
hopiters caught this morning; also some dead ones found on asparagus. You can 
judge from the stalks the eftect that they have had on that. There is a little green 
growth on the bottom yet. Parasitic Tachinids have destroyed more than last year. 
As to fighting them very little has been done, and that in a half-hearted way. I 
cleaned them out of the orchard wherever I cultivated the ground early enough and 
solidly. Am satisfied that they can bo caught on the alfalfa by hoi)pcr-dozers. We 
have had some trouble in getting pans made, but they are bound to Avork if taken 
in time. 

These hoppers will be likely to stay and grow fat just so long as we give them a 
good breeding ground and plenty to eat. We had some cold wet weather lastspring 
just as they were hatching, which checked them some, but they seem to have out- 
grown it. I find a good many young ones now. 

J. W. LONGSTRETH. 

Prof. H. OsBORN, 

Ames, Iowa. 

TESTS OF THE BOTRYTIS TENELLA ON LACHNOSTERNA. 

During the spring we received from your ofiice a tube of Botrytis 
tenella from France, with instructions to test it on Lachnosterna larvse 
in this locality. 



48 

Four tests were made of the material, following the directions for 
lireparing and applying' that accompanied the tube. Two of these tests 
were made in the laboratory in small glass root cages and two of the 
tests were in outdoor plats. 

In the first laboratory experiment, May 26, about twenty larvpe were 
treated, ten of which were inclosed in a root cage two and one-half by 
four feet deep, and ten in an outdoor i^lat. Examinations later showed 
no result. 

At the same time a few treated larvje were placed in a glass root cage, 
the earth in which had been sterilized by continued baking, and kept 
in the laboratory for the purpose of closer observation. One specimen 
included in this cage was found to be covered with a small cyst of earth 
filled with a mycelial growth and the larvcT itself was covered Avitli a 
dense white growth of mycelia. Another grub in this same cage went 
on and pupated and showed no signs of being affected by its treatment 
nor from being in contact with the diseased larva. 

On June 23d another test was made, both in laboratory and field. 
Twenty-three treated larvae were inclosed in a glass root cage 24 by 36 
by 3i inches inside. This was filled with sterilized earth to within 6 
inches of the top. The earth had been sterilized by heating in a hot 
air oven from six to eight hours at 70° to 90<^ C. These were examined 
August 28. Three live grubs were found and five beetles. A num- 
ber of larva*, with no signs of growth, were observed dead on the sur- 
face a few days after treatment, and it is probable that they had been 
slightly injured before or during collecting, as they were jjicked up in 
furrow after the plow. The outdoor experiment, as in the first case, 
gave no result. 

It will be seen that the only successful inoculation was of a single 
larva in a laboratory cage, and this diseased larva did not communicate 
the disease to another in close proximity to it. The field experiments 
showed no result whatever, though it can not be said but that larvse 
became aflected and escaped our notice in later examinations and that 
the disease may appear hereafter. 

The tubes evidently contain a small proportion of spores and a large 
proportion of starch, so that it is possible the larvae did not all get au 
inoculation with sx)ores. 



ENTOMOLOGICAL NOTES FOE THE SEASON OF 1893. 



By Mary E. Murtfeldt. 



LETTER OF SUBMITTAL. 

KiRKWooD, Mo., Xovemlcr 2, 1S02. 
Sir : I hereAvitli submit such of my entomological notes for the past season as 
relate to species of economic importance, including accounts of a few species that 
have not hitherto been included in that category. I have been much interested in 
the study of several other species, also pernicious or beneficial, but as these have not 
yet reached full development, I beg to reserve my notes upon them until I shall be 
able to complete the record. 
Kespectfully, 

Mary E. Murtfeldt. 
Dr. C. V. Riley. 

JJ, S. Entomologist. 



MISCELLANEOUS MEMOEANDA. 

Tlie climatic peculiarity of the past season throughout the Missis- 
sippi Valley was found in the excessive rainfall and the low temperature 
of the spring- and early summer. That these conditions would produce 
a noticeable effect ui)on insect life can not be doubted. Wheat fields 
and corn lands that were inundated during April and a part of May, 
so far as I have been able to a^scertaiu, entirely escaped attack from 
Chinch Bugs and Bill Bugs. I am also inclined to ascribe to the same 
cause the somewliat remarkable non appearance of the Colorado Potato- 
beetle over a wide area of the country. So absolute was this disap- 
pearance that repeated and careful search in this locality for specimens 
upon which to test insecticides failed to reveal a single beetle or larva. 
I can not say, liowever, that the potato crop was the better for this 
immunity. The plants seemed suflflciently vigorous, but the tubers 
were few and small and tlie crop in Missouri almost a foilure. 

Another insect that seems to have mostly deserted this section of the 
country is the Grape Phylloxera. For two or three seasons I have not 
noticed any galls on the leaves of even the most susceptible varie- 
ties, and examinations of the roots of Delaware, Taylor, Catawba, and 
198G6— No. 30 4 49 



50 

Herbeinoiit have showu tlieni to bo free, or almost free from the sub- 
terranean form of the pest. Sucli old vines of the above and other 
delicate varieties of the fruit as had been suffered to remain in some of 
the vineyards around Kirkwood, have, for the last two years, renewed 
their vigor and borne good crops. 

riea-beetles gave very little trouble where gardeners had been care- 
ful, during previous seasons, to eradicate such weeds as ijepidium and 
Arabis from the neighborhood of their vegetable beds, since it is in the 
leaves of these that Phyllotreta sinuata Steph., with us by far the most 
abundant and destructive species, chiefly breeds. 

The Cabbage Curculio {Geutorliynelms rapw Gyll.) occasions much 
loss and annoyance to market gardeners in some parts of the State, by 
boring into the crown and roots of young cabbage and cauliflower 
plants, in many cases destroying 25 per cent of the plants in the hot- 
beds and just after they are set out. As this insect does not trouble 
the plants after the heads begin toform, I was at a loss to conjecture 
what became of it during the summer and autumn. From exi>eriments 
conducted this year I am convinced that it returns to its original food 
plant, the wild Pepper-grass {Lc/pid'mm mrginicum). I succeeded in 
obtaining young larva; in stems of the latter plant in July, but as the 
plants did not thrive indoors I was unable to bring the insect through 
its transformations. 

Disonycha coUaris is establishing its title as a spinach pest, its perfo- 
rations being seen during April and May in almost every leaf of that 
highly esteemed potherb. As both beetles and larvte drop to the 
ground upon the slightest disturbance of their food-jflant they are sel- 
dom associated with their destructive work. 

The foliage of roses in Kirkwood and vicinity suffered this summer 
from the attacks of all three of the species of sawfly larva; described in 
vol. V, Insect Life (p. G), Cladius liecUnicornis being very numerous and 
reducing the leaflets on some bushes to mere shreds. An infusion of 
white hellebore proved an effective remedy, but the necessity of apply- 
ing it at intervals throughout the season adds materially to the labors 
of the rose-grower. 

The Twelve-spotted Diabrotica appeared in countless numbers in 
flower gardens during September and October, and wrought ruin on 
the blossoms of dahlias, zinias, cosmos, and early chrysanthemums. 
To kill it on the flowers, or render them distasteful to it, involves 
the sacrifice of all the beauty of the latter, by spraying with the 
arsenites or kerosene emulsions. Where the insect breeds in such 
swarms I have not been able to discover. Certainly it was not in any 
of the corn fields around Kirkwood, for I uprooted a large number of 
plants in the immediate neighborhood of our flower garden without 
finding any trace of larvse or pupte. I think its native and favorite 
food-plant remains to be discovered. Another unmanageable pest, of 
which there is complaint is the the Corn Ear- worm {Heliothis armiger). 



51 

It shows a niarlvod partiality for the sweet table varieties, of which it 
destroyed in the gardens around !St. Louis between 25 and 30 per cent 
of the ears. 

The Tineida^ as well as the larger Lepidoptera contribute their full 
quota of si)ecies injurious to growing vegetation, in addition to those that 
prey upon stored grain and household property. Among the former the 
Box-elder Gracilaria {Gracilaria.ncgiindeUa) was exceedingly abundant 
during the past season in this locality, the leaves of the favorite shade 
tree upon which it feeds being thickly spotted with its preliminary mines 
and having almost every lobe turned down to form the three-cornered 
tent, within which the larva feeds after its first molt. Many of the 
cocoonets of the latest brood were parasitized, however, and it may not 
another season prove so distiguring to the trees. 

ADDITIONAL INJURIOUS INSECTS. 

The Osage Orange Pvijalid 

(Loxoslege maclurce Eiley.) 

Among the insects that are to be recorded for the first time with 
" noxious species " the one named above has, in this section of the 
country, acquired especial prominence. 

Its work was first observed upon the hedges of Kirkwood and vicin- 
ity in the autumn of 1890, where for a few yards in a place the twigs 
and branches appeared nearly denuded of foliage. ' Examination failed 
to reveal the author of the mischief, and it was attributed to some 
Orthopterou, especially to those of the Tree Cricket family. The fol- 
lowing 3'ear its ravages were seen on all the hedges of the county, 
greatly impairing their beauty. Late in summer the x>est was dis- 
covered, and the habits by which it had so long eluded my search 
brought to light. During the present year its work has been increas- 
ingly destructive, and unless concerted action is taken for its extermina- 
tion the hedges of the Mississippi Valley will no longer be either orna- 
mental or useful. 

The depredator is a small, glassy, pale green caterpillar, more or less 
gregarious, especially during the first larval stages. It is the young 
of a rather inconspicuous Pjaalid moth, new to this region, if not to 
science, which may be popularly described as follows : 

Expanse of wings nearly seveu-eiglitlis inch, or 24"^'". Fore-wings satiny in tex- 
ture, of a pale brown isli-gray color, soiuetimes, when the insect is perfectly fresh, 
faintly tinged with green or roseate, and always crossed by three curving, wavj^, 
interrupted, dusky lines; the outer margin back of the very short white fringes 
being also dark. Hind-wings similar in color to the fore-wings, but thinner, without 
the dark cross lines, but with dusicy shadings on the lower edges. Body, brownish- 
gray above, satiny white beneath. Head narrow, with projecting, beak-like palpi, 
margined with white, very long tongue, large hemispherical eyes of a mottled, dark- 
brown color, and slender, tapering, threadlike antenute three-fourths the length of 
the wings. The abdomen is very sleutler, and somewhat constricted or laterally 
compressed, with long terminal joint upturned. Legs long, of a glistening white 
color. 



52 

These motbs emerge in spring from tlie first to the middle of M:iy, 
and may bo seen on warm evenings lluttering in great nnmbers about 
the hedges. They are not much attracted by lamplight, but occasion- 
ally one enters a lighted room. The eggs are laid on the under sides of 
the Osage Orange leaves in irregularly shaped masses of from twenty- 
five to fifty. They are circular, very flat, pale yellow, and each has 
a delicate semitransparent membranous border. Like those of certain 
other Pyralids, they overlap, fish-scale fashion, and as the embryo de- 
velops each, egg displays two minute black marks or lines. The larvae 
hatch in five or six days, and, unless disturbed, remain in a close cluster, 
feeding upon the parenchyma of the under side of the leaf, which sur- 
face they closely resemble in color. At the slightest jar they curl up 
and drop to the ground. In six days the first molt takes place, and, if 
they have not sooner exhausted their food supply and been forced to 
scatter, they now migrate in small companies to fresh leaves, which, in 
feeding, they begin to perfi)rate. When not feeding they stretch them- 
selves alongside the midrib and principal A'eins, where their translu- 
cent, pale green color and very slender form enable them to escape 
observation. As they approach maturity they become still more elu- 
sive, retiring from the leaves during the day and resting upon the inner 
twigs and stems, which their coloring at this period usually imitates. 
They spin considerable web upon the under sides of the leaves, and 
draw out the threads as they crawl back and forth from the stems to the 
leaves. In these webs and threads more or less of the castings are 
caught, and add to the disfigurement of the plant. 

Larva. — The fnll-grown larva is from eigiit to niue-tentlis of an incli long (20 
to 24"""') by Jibout tliree-t\yentietli8 (4'""^) inch in diameter in the middle when 
crawliug. It is somewhat contracted and broadened in repose. The form is sub- 
cylindrical, tapering slightly toward either end. The color at this stage is variable, 
in some specimens translucent pinkish, in others dull green, and again of the gray- 
In'own shade of the twigs, always obscurely striped on the dorsum and sides with a 
darker shade of the ground color, and having a narrow, but distinct, ivory-white 
8ti"'matal band. Pilifcrous dots black, surrounded with a paler ring, largest just 
above stigmatal band; four in subdorsal spaces on eleventh segment being in the 
hollow of conspicuous crescents, convex toward the sides. Head narrower than 
thoracic joints; cordate, with rounded lobes of a pale brown color, with irregular 
stripes in a slightly darker shade, trophi fuscous. Legs and prolegs concolorous 
with general surface. 

The cocoon in which the worm incloses itself for transformation is of 
irregular shape and fits the chrysalis very loosely. It is of a fine tex- 
ture and pale pinkish or dingy white color. The summer broods change 
to chrysalis soon after inclosure, but the hibernating one remains in 
the larva form until late in winter. • The chrysalis is from 12 to 14™'" 
long, very slender, with slight corrugations on the posterior edge of 
the segments, and of a bright brown color. The cocoons are formed, 
sometimes several together, among the webbed and fallen leaves on the 
surface of the ground. At this date (December 1) the hiberiuiting larva? 
are somewhat shrunken and all of an opaque yellowish- white color, on 



63 

wbicli the fuscous dots, rings, aud crescents are very prominent. I 
have learned of tlie presence of the insect in one or two counties 
^besides St. Louis, and have reason to think it quite widely disseminated, 
altli()uj>h not so destructive to hedges in more sparsely settled localities 
as it is in the various suburbs of St. Louis. Thorough spraying with 
any of the arseuites Mill kill it, but the process needs frequent repeti- 
tion during the season, and much paius must be taken to wet the inner 
as well as the outer leaves. 

The principal enemy of this insect, in its own class, is the Spined 
Soldier-bug {Podii^us spinmus), of whose hxi'Vic and pupre I found a large 
number at different times with their beaks inserted in the bodies of 
the wriggling larvne. A few larv.ne w^ere also destroyed by the small 
Ichneumonid, which was kindly determined for me at the Department 
as Braeon juglandis Ashm. 

The Blue-grass Worm. 
(Crambus teierrellus Zinck.) 

For two or three years the moths of this species have in this locality 
outnumbered all the other species of Crambids combined. In the day- 
time they would flutter uj) from the grass before us at every step and at 
night our lighted windows would be covered with them. About the first 
of August, when these moths were most abundant, I had occasion to dig 
up a bit of sod from the lawn, and upon examining it closely I found sev- 
eral galleries of fine white web, with sparse minglings of castings 
formed against and between the stems and blades of the grass. In 
each of these tubes was a miuute, dingy white larva, then 4 or 5™"» in 
length. This piece of sod was carefully planted in a large rearing jar 
and watered, so that it might continue to grow. A day or two after 
this a considerable number — eighteen or twenty — of minute, salmon-col- 
ored eggs were found on a window-sill near a dead specimen of the moth 
above named. By means of a -fine camel's hair brush these eggs were 
transferred to a glass tube containing several blades of grass, and in the 
course of two or three days about a dozen tiny larvae, of a cream- white 
color, with brown heads, had hatched. Placing them upon growing 
grass, they soon began the formation of tubes or galleries similar to those 
taken out of doors, and as they continued to develop, it was plain that 
they were identical with the latter. 

During the dry weather of August and September others w^ere found 
on the lawn, where the grass had withered in small patches, and it was 
evident that to this species is due to a considerable degree the faded 
appearance and scanty growth of the blue grass during the latter part 
of summer. 

The growth of the larva^. was very slow and seemingly out of all pro- 
portion to the amount of web tubing constructed. A single larva, not 
more than one-third of an inch long, seemed to require for its domicile 



54 

!i pfiillery 2 or 2^ inches in lengtb, and witli a diameter two or three 
times in excess of its own. Tlie upper part of this tube would be 
excccdinji'ly diaphanous, but as it descended more and more of tlie brass 
was intermingled until at the base it became quite compact. During 
the day the larva rested quietly in this retreat, but at night it emerged 
and fed upon the freshest of the contiguous blades. So far as I could 
ascertain it seldom or never cut through the stalk or bored up or down 
through the heart of the plant. 

The larvae seemed to attain maturity from the middle to the last of 
September, after which they rested quietly for some time in their gal- 
leries, without inclosing themselves in more protective cocoons. 

Being absent from home for four or five weeks, from early in October 
until the middle of November, my jars were overlooked in the water- 
ing process, and upon my return 1 found all the larvae dead and dry. 
As the species was known to me, however, this was not so unfortunate 
as it might have been. 

In the jar containing specimens collected at various ages from the 
lawn were the remains of two or three hymenopterous parasites and four 
cocoons of the characteristic form, color, and structure of Meteorus, 
closely resembling those of M. hyphantriw. 

I api^end more particular description of egg and larva. 

I<^(jg, — Obconical 0.5'" long, beautifully sciilptured under the lens, with longitu- 
dinal ridges and liner cross lines, giving it a checkered aj)pearance. Color, bright 
salmon jiink. 

Larva.— kt first of a dingy cream white, minutely speckled with brown, with 
brown head. 

At maturity 15""" in length, by 2""" in diameter, subcylindrical, slightly larger 
across thoracic segments. 

Color dingy yellowish or greenish white, with dull green medio-dorsal 
stripe. The surface is much roughened with impressed lines, with 
conspicuous, raised corneous, fuscous plates, from each of which arises 
a long, coarse, tapering, golden-yellow hair. Head with protruding 
lobes and rugose surface, and of a dull whity brown color. Cervical 
sLield inconspicuous, darker than the head. 

Pupa not yet observed. 

The moth is well known as one of the least conspicuous of the group 
of beautiful species to wliich it belongs. It expands about three-fourths 
inch, with a brownish- white body and hind- wings. Fore-wings grayish- 
white, streaked with pale brown, with two silvery gray shaded wavy 
lines crossing the outer third; just back of the fringes, which have a 
golden, metallic luster, is a row of seven small Init distinct black dots. 

Lasioptera sp? in Twigs of Honey Locust. 

The work of the above Cecidomyiid was first noticed in the summer of 
1891 on the shoots and new growth of the Honey Locust, a shade tree 
of considerable value with us, and during the past season it became 
more and more injurious and consi)i('uons. The irritation of the plant 



55 

tissue produced by this insect causes remarkable tumefaction and dis- 
tortion of the twigs and scantiness and yellowing of the foliage, result- 
ing in a comx)lete checking of growth. 

The perfect insect is a minute fly or gnat, expanding about ^ inch, 
having a glossy black body and broad transparent fore-wings, with a 
rather strong marginal vein, and a faint, forked vein on the lower 
edge. These gnats emerge from their cells early in May and lay their 
eggs (which I have not so far been able to detect) on the succulent 
new growth of the tree into which the microscopic larvae easily burrow 
and begin the formation of their cells, very shortly i^roducing gall-like 
swellings and twisting of the stems. These cells, each about ^ inch 
long, and oblong in shape, become, as the season advances, exceed- 
ingly compact, almost stony, and in some cases almost fill the shoots 
for a space of from 5 to 7 inches in length. They are placed longi- 
tudinally, and a cross-section of a twig one- fifth inch in diameter will 
often cut four or five, although they are seldom regularly arranged 
side by side. The larviie attain their growth in July or August, and 
remain unchanged in their cells until the following spring. They are 
at this time fiom three to four millimeters in length by one in diameter, 
cylindrical, with segments well defined, of a bright salmon-pink color, 
with conspicuous "breast-bone" in dark brown. 

The outlet to the surface is probably by the passage through which 
the larva worked its way within the stem, though in what way extended, 
to admit of the egress of tbe much larger pupa, I can not tell. At all 
events when ready to emerge the i)upaB are protruded, sometimes 
singly, in other cases in clusters of three or four where the larval 
cells have coalesced, from minute orifices all along the stem, giving it 
quite a friugy appearance with the erect translucent white empty pupa 
cases. 

Two species of parasites have been bred from these Lasioptera galls, 
and examinations of infested twigs within a few weeks discloses more 
larvae of parasites than of the original gall-makers. 

DiPLOSis sp? ON Soft Maple. 

This is a probably undescribed species, also a Cecidomyiid, which 
destroyed a considerable proportion of the very young leaves of Soft 
Maple in Kirkwood and vicinity early in the spring. The punctures of 
the insect caused a peculiar curling and shriveling of the leaves, and 
in every depression would ])e found a minute white larva not more than 
omm },^ length and 0.5 in diameter across the anterior end, from whence 
it tai^ered slightly posteriorly. 

The first brood of flies emerged in June from little flattened oval 
cocoonets spun against the surface of the leaves. A second brood 
appeared late in July rolling the edges and crinkling the centers of the 
more tender leaves, but was far less injurious to the appearance of the 
trees than the earlier one. 



56 

Still another Oecidomyiid, of which I did not obtain tlie fly, attacked 
tlie foliage of the sugar maples in Kirkwood, curling and producing a 
gall-like thickening of the edges of the leaves. The affected portions 
turned crimson and gave the foliage the ai)pearance of being covered 
with long, slender, red worms. 

My attention was not called to this insect until it was too late to learn 
its natural history or to attempt the use of any remedy. 

SCARCITY OF PARASITES OF CODLING MOTH AND PLUM CURCULIO. 

Having always had some misgivings that in the practice of spraying 
fruit trees with the arsenites, we were destroying our most valuable 
allies in our warfare with the above-named pests, I made it a point dur- 
ing the past season to ascertain wliat proportion of them were really 
parasited. 

Infested fruit was collected from an unsprayed orchard at intervals 
throughout the season, and both Codling Moth and Curculio bred in 
considerable numbers witli a result that 4 per cent of Curculios were 
parasited, and from about one hundred Codling Moth larvj^ not a single 
fly appeared. As the deluge-like rains of the spring and early summer 
may have had something to do with this unexpected result, I propose 
to reiDeat it another year, and hope to make a more satisfactory report. 



EXPEPJMENTS m APICULTUEE, 1892. 



By J. H. Larrabee. 



LETTE.R OF SUBMITTAL. 

Agricultural College, Mich., Kovemler 17, 1S92. 
Sir : I beg leave to sii1)mit herewith a report upon the experimental work in api- 
culture conducted at this place during the season of 1892. While the results 
obtained may vary with varying conditions, either more or less favorable than those 
under which these experiments have been conducted, yet it is lioped that some of the 
conclusions reached may prove of definite value to the important interest of apicul- 
ture. 

Very respectfully, 

J. H. Larrabee. 
C. V. Riley, 

U. S. Entomologist. 



During tlie season of 1892 the braucli station for experimenting in bee 
culture at the Michigan Agricultural College was continued at the ex- 
13ense of the U. S. Department of Agriculture, Division of Entomology, 
and of the Michigan State Experiment Station. 

An effort was made to undertake a line of experiments closely con- 
nected with the practical work of the apiary. While all of the experi- 
ments undertaken have not given results of practical value, some have. 
Especially gratifying are the results obtained in the experiments upon 
the subject of wax secretion and the evax^oratiou of honey, for the 
reason that thej^ were nearly free from those elements of uncertainty 
that must necessarily enter into nearly all experimental work in the 
apiary, such as season and condition of bees. 

When the bees were taken from the cellar, on April 18, they were in 
rather poor condition, due doubtless to the dampness of the cellar and 
the character and amount of the stores. The loss during the winter and 
spring was about one-third of the number placed in the cellar. 

Ill May and June the bees of the whole apiary were transferred from 
the old hives into modern dovetailed hives, and from the old reversible 
frames, of three distinct sizes, to the new, wide, thick, top-bar frames of 
the Langstroth size. In this operation all drone comb or other imper- 



58 

feet combs were rejected iiud rendered into wax. By this change the 
apiary was placed upon a modern footing, the hives made uniform, the 
operations and manipulations of the apiary rendered more rapid, and its 
beauty and value increased. 

The spring- was very backward and rainy. During fruit bloom the 
bees flew but little, and their influence u^ion the fertilization of the 
flowers of our fruits is seen in the almost comijlete failure in this vicin- 
ity of all tree fruits and others largely dependent upon the bees for the 
dissemination of pollen. As the rainy, cloudy weather did not cease 
until about the first of July, the early part of the clover bloom was lost 
to the bees. No supers were put on until July 8, and at that time 
strong colonies were swarming, with almost no honey in the hives. All 
of the white surplus was taken from Basswood, which yielded well. 
July 25 the season for white honey closed. A little surplus of late 
honey was gathered during August, and the bees filled up the hives 
well for winter. A yield of about 25 pounds of surplus per colony was 
obtained, and there are now in the apiary fifty-five colonies in excellent 
condition for winter. 

BREEDING. 

During the year 1891 the apiary was entirely requeened, only a few 
old queens being reserved for breeding. This season the opportunity 
was taken to replace all those of the former year's rearing that had 
proven themselves inferior. A number of Carniolan queens were intro- 
duced, and queens bred from them. Added familiarity with the cross 
of the Carniolan bee with the yellow race increases my satisfaction 
with their valuable traits. They have proven themselves equally as 
desirable as either race in its j)urity, and they have some points of 
superiority. 

A test was made of the claims advanced for the Tunisian or so-called 
" Punic" bees. During the early part of the season they exhibited no 
traits that would distinguish them from the native black bee, showing 
the same nervousness under manipulation. They build large numbers 
of queen cells, and do not cap their honey with that peculiar whiteness 
characteristic of the common black bee. After the close of the honey 
season they best showed their origin and distinctive peculiarities. 
Whenever attempts were made to handle them they became exceedingly 
angry. This trait of excessive irritability seems to be their most 
distinctive mark. As no point of superiority was discovered, their sev- 
eral manifest defects make them a race not to be recommended as de- 
sirable for introduction among our American bee-keepers. 

REMOVING THE QUEEN TO PREVENT SWARMING. 

As the bee-keeping industry develops and new methods and devices 
come into use, each tending to lower the price of the product, an increased 
tension is placed upon the apiarist in an effort to manage large uum- 



59 

bers of colouies to increase his anmuil yield. The natural tendency of 
bees to increase by swarming and the care and attention occasioned 
thereby have given rise to various i)lans for its prevention or control. 
One of the best of these plans, yet one little used, is outlined in the 
following-, the value of which, at the suggestion of Mr. Aikin, of Love- 
land, Colo., I undertook to test: Early in spring two colonies were 
selected, as nearly^ alike in strength as it was possible to get them. 
These were kept at the same strength, the amount of brood in the hives 
having been equalized several times. The harvest did not open until 
about July 6, and upon the 8tli supers were given them. July 12, 
queen cells were found partly constructed in colony No. 1. The queen 
was removed, and four days and also eight days afterward all queen 
cells were destroyed. On July 25 (thirteen days after her removal) the 
queen was returned. This colony did not swarm at all. The other 
colony (No. 2) was allowed to work without interference, and it was not 
until July 21 that they swarmed. As the harvest from Linden was 
about closing, the swarm was returned and all queen cells destroyed in 
the hope that they would not attempt to sw^arm again before the close 
of the season. They did not swarm, yet it maybe supposed that this 
interference with their instincts tended slightly to decrease their 
energy. The results in total amount of honey gathered are as follows : 
No. 1 gained in weight 37 pounds between July G and 25, and No. 2 
gained 46 pounds during the same time. 

If from the total gain of No. 2 we substract 5 pounds as the weight 
of brood it contained in excess of the brood in No. 1 on July 25, we still 
have 4 pounds as the amount of honey gathered by No. 2 greater than 
the amount gathered by No. 1. These colonies were both worked for 
comb honey with like treatment of supers. 

This experiment is valuable testimony to prove that the removal of 
the queen to prevent swarming does somewhat affect the amount of 
honey gathered by the bees. The supers showed even a larger differ- 
ence in the amount of honey stored in the sections for the reason that 
where the queen is absent the bees fill the brood chamber with honey. 
When the queen is returned this will to a greater or less extent be 
removed to the sections. Although the interference in this manner 
with the economy of the hive probably always reduces the amount of 
honey stored, yet because of the lessening in the labor and watching 
necessary during the swarming season, I deem it advisable to follow 
this method when any similar plan seems necessary. 

WAX SECRETION. 

To determine the amount of honey consumed by the bees in secreting 
one pound of wax, this experiment, first undertaken in 1891, was repeated 
this year. As the conditions were much more favorable, the results 
were very gratifying. There was entire absence of a natural honey 
flow, the weather was favorable, the colonies were of the same strength, 



60 

and in prosperous condition, they took tlie food rapidly and built comb 
readily. The result gives a less amount of hoiu^y as necessary to be 
fed the bees in order to have 1 pound of wax secreted than was obtained 
in this experiment last year. This was to be expected because of tlie 
more favorable and exact conditions. Two colonies were taken whit-h 
I have designated as Nos. 1 and 2. No. 1 was given a virgin queen 
and no comb or honey. No. 2 was given a virgin queen and empty 
combs. It was noticed that the bees did not fly from either of these 
hives as vigorously as from the others of the apiary, and that No. 1 
was the more quiet of the two. Twenty-four and a half pounds of food 
were given, and almost exactly 1 jjound of wax was secreted by No. 1. 
By weighing the combs both before and after being melted and taking 
the diiference, the amount of pollen was ascertained. In both colonies 
the young queens had begun to lay, having been fertilized during the 
ten days the experiment was in progress. I now feel confident that 
more careful work on the part of others who have undertaken to solve 
this question will give practically the same results as are summarized 
below : 

Wax Secretion. 



Colony No. 1. 



Colony No. 2. 



Weight of bees 

Gross weight, Aug. 2, with bees 

Gross weight, Aug. 12, with bees 

Gross §ain in weight 10 days 

Peed given ! 

Minus honey extracted 

Leaves honey consumed 

Honey consumedby No. linexcossofNo. 2: 12— 4=8 pounds. 

Wax 'secreted by No. 1 

Pollen in combs at close 

Honey, wax, and pollen removed (8 pounds honey consumed 
in secreting 15 J ounces of wax 



Lbs 

7 



14 15i 



Lbs. Oz. 



Lbs. Oz. 
7 3 



27 8 
42 10 
15 2 



24 8 
20 8 

4 



Lbs. Oz. 



PLANTING FOR HONEY. 



There were in bloom at the station this season three acres of Sweet 
Clover {Meiilotus alba) sown in June, 1891. It was sown upon rather 
poor clay soil, yet it made a fair growth last fall and came through the 
winter in good condition. It began to bloom July 8, and continued in 
bloom until the 20th of September. The period of greatest bloom and 
honey secretion was from July 20 to September 1. It grew rapidly and 
was very rank, reaching a height of about six feet. The amount of 
bloom was great and the bees were continually busy upon it, yet during 
the period from July 24 to August 10, while it was in full bloom and 
while all other natural sources were absent, no honey of any apprecia- 
ble extent was gathered and the hive upon scale lost in weight. Prob- 
ably some honey was obtained during the season from this sweet clover, 
but in such limited quantities as to make any estimate of the value of 
the plant as a honey i^roducer imi)ossible. At the present time the 



61 

ground is covered Avitli brusli, so that labor will be necessary in 
clearing the laud before plowing can be done. 

With the idea of obtaining an opinion of the value of Sweet Clover as 
a sihige i)laut an aleoliol barrel was filled with the cut stalks, solidly- 
packed, and sealed air-tight. This was done on July 14, just as the 
clover was getting fairly into bloom and while the stalks were yet 
tender and nutritious. On Sei)tember 23 the barrel was opened and 
the ensilage was fed. A horse that had previously eaten corn silage 
ate it very readily, but another horse and a cow that had never eaten 
sihige would not touch it. Several exj)erts ux)on the subject pro- 
nounced it excellent. There is no doubt but that it would be a very 
desirable plant for the purpose if the feeding value per acre could be 
made equal to that of corn. An estimate made from the amount cut 
for silage gave between 6 and 7 tons per acre. Although its feeding 
value may be much higher than that of corn, it is still doubtful if it will 
pay to use it for this i)urpose alone, from the above estimate. 

In concluding these experiments in planting for honey carried on by 
Prof. Cook and now concluded for the x>resent, I desire to say that no 
results have been obtained with any plant sown or planted for honey 
alone that will warrant the bee-keeper in expending money and labor 
in this direction. Bee-keepers have in the past si)ent much time and 
money in the eifort to cultivate some plant for the honey the bees may 
obtain from its flowers. In no case coming under my observation have 
these efforts been a success and the practice has never been continued 
at a profit. Therefore let me caution all apiarists against spending 
money in the attempt to cultivate at a profit any flower for honey 
alone. Bee-keepers should cease these useless eftbrts and turn their 
attention more persistently to extending the area of all wild honey- 
producing iflants and urging upon all the superiority of Alsike Clover 
and Japanese Buckwheat as farm cro^js and the Linden as a shade tree. 

EVAPORATION OF HONEY. 

Nectar of flowers taken into the stomach of the bee undergoes certain 
chemical changes before it is finally deposited as honey in the cells of 
the honeycomb. The recent analyses, by direction of .the United States 
Government chemist and those instituted at the Michigan State Exper- 
iment Station, prove that there is no chemical change made in the 
honey by the bee after it is deposited in the comb. There, however, 
remains much water in this honey that must be evaporated by the heat 
of the hive and the current of air through the hive caused by the fan- 
ning of the bees. It is well known that this labor of evaporation and 
the room occupied by this thin honey interferes greatly with the rapid 
gathering of nectar. In this opinion I am confirmed by a study of many 
records of colonies placed upon scales during the honey flow. It is 
often desirable to extract all of the honey gathered from one species of 
honey plant before the flow from other sources begins and before tlie 



62 

former has ripened to the usual consistency of good lioney. The prop- 
erty of grauuhition in honey is so troublesome that its preveution would 
be very desirable. The experiments in this line have plainly indicated 
that the " water of crystallization" can be easily expelled by a proi)er 
artificial heat and the product scaled, so as to preserve it in a liquid 
state for an indefinite time. For these reasons it was thought best to 
exiieriment in this direction with various forms of artificial heat in the 
ertort to devise some cheap and sure method to assist the bees in this 
work. For this purpose there were constructed a series of six shallow 
pans 19 by 2S inches in size, with ])iirtitions 2 inches in height, open on 
alternate ends, similar to the partitions in a maple-sirup evaporator. 
These were arranged in a cabinet, one above the other, so that honey 
entering at the top was obliged to flow some 75 feet before passing out 
at the bottom. An oil stove was placed beneath the whole, and a pipe 
at the top caused a current of heated air to pass uj^ward over the 
honey. The fumes of the stove were carried off by means of a second 
pipe, in order to avoid all danger of their injuring the flavor of the 
honey. Honey of average body with 10 i^er cent by weight of water 
added Avas rei^iced again to the normal condition by passing twice 
through the pans at a temperature of 120°, and about 100 pounds jier 
day was evaporated at that temperature. Thin nectar, extracted from 
the hives very soon after being gathered, was evaporated to tlie thick- 
ness of good honey at about the same rate. This apparatus was kept 
in operation about ten days upon honey of various thickness and upon 
clear water with the above definite results. The flavor of the first 
honey was injured — i^robably by the first acid action of the honey upon 
the outer coating of the tin. Afterwards this was not as apparent. 
The color was also somewhat affected. 

The heat of the sun was also tried for purposes of evaporation. A 
shallow pan 28 by 54 inches in size was filled 3 inches deep with 
thin honey. This was covered with glass 6 inches above the honey and 
left in the sun for four days, when about 5 per cent of moisture was 
evaporated. As the honey lies at rest the water rises to the top, some- 
what aiding evaporation. The flavor and color are not aftected as much 
as by the method of running through pans. In this way honey with 
30 per cent, and even 40 per cent, of water adtled was evaporated to the 
consistency of very thick lioney in three weeks' time, so thick that it 
has not at this date shoAved any signs of granulation. During fiivor- 
able periods of sunshine a temperature of 165° was reached. By this 
method a tank 4 by 6 feet, with 6 inches of honey and weighing 1,300 
pounds, should be evaporated 10 per cent, or from the consistency of 
freshly gathered honey to that of average body, during about two weeks 
in July or August. 

The common method of exposing to the air in open vessels in the 
warm ujiper story Df a building was also tested with honey to which 
10, 20, 30, and 40 per cent of water had been added. That having 40 



63 

l)er cent added became strongly fermented in a week's time, while only 
a slight change had taken place in the 30 per cent dilution, and at the 
end of a month it tasted like a very poor quality of commercial ex- 
tracted honey or like honey dew. The 20 per cent dilution was not 
nearly as bad, and the honey, with only 10 per cent of water added, 
was during the month returned to the consistency of very fair honey. 

Kectar extracted two or three days after the combs were j)laced in 
the hives contained, during the dry weather of July and August, from 
10 to 1.5 i)er cent of water above the amount always found in honey that 
has been sealed in the comb by the bees. This was determined by 
evaporating in test tubes in hot water. 

Summary. — (1) The method at present promising best results for 
artificial evaporation is that by solar heat under glass well ventilated. 
A small portion of a greenhouse or forcing-house arranged for conserv- 
ing the heat of the sun, and so located that honey could be run into the 
shallow vats directly from the mouth of the extractor and drawn off 
from the bottom of the vats into marketing receptacles, should give good 
practical results. 

(2) Very thin honey or nectar will not sour as quickly as supposed 
by many, and may be safely kept during any period of cloudy weather 
we may have during the hot summer months. 

(3) The method of exposing to air in a warm room can not be 
depended upon to ripen very thin honey, although it may be service- 
able for evaporating a very small i^ercentage of water. 

(4) The method of evaporating by artificial heat of stove or furnace 
is expensive and troublesome, requiring constant watching and care 
and not giving as good results as had been hoped for. 

(5) The possibilities in the line of evaporating honey for the purpose 
of increasing the yield and preventing granulation are very great. A 
series of experiments to determine the increase in production by ex- 
tracting freshly gathered honey would be next in order and value. 
When the utility of this method is fully demonstrated supers with 
fixed frames and extractors holding whole cases will be used and other 
apparatus conformable to the needs of the new system. 

FEEDING BACK. 

Feeding back extracted honey to secure the completion of unfinished 
sections at the close of the harvest is practiced by some apiarists, but 
with varying financial success. Extracted honey can be transj^orted 
long distances with much greater safety than can comb honey. For 
this reason it has been thought it might be profitable to feed bees ex- 
tracted honey costing 7 or 8 cents per pound to produce comb honey 
selling at 13 to 15 cents, locating the apiary designed for this purpose 
near a large city or other favorable market. With the idea of adding 
light upon this subject, extracted honey was fed to a number of colonies 
under the following conditions: The hives were contracted and the 



64 

queens kept in the brood apartment by means of excluding zinc. Five 
colonies were given two crates each of unfinished sections, the sections 
of the whole weighing 113 ])ounds. Three hundred and thirty-eight 
pounds of honey Avere fed these five colonies during twelve days. The 
honey was thinned with 12 per cent of water and warmed before feeding. 
The amount of finished honey ol)tained was 307 pounds, or a gain of 
254 pounds by feeding 338 pounds of honey. The hives were weighed 
both before and after the honey was fed, and a gain of 36 pounds dur- 
ing the feeding recorded for the five hives. The following gives the re- 
sults from a financial view : 

254 i)0und8 comb honey by feeding, at 14 cents $35. 56 

36 pounds stored in liivesj at 8 cents 2. 88 . 

38.44 
Minus value of 338 pounds fed, at 8 cents 27. 04 

Profit as pay for laljor, etc 11. 40 

Two colonies were given crates of sections with full sheets of foun- 
dation and were fed extracted honey, under the same conditions as the 
five colonies above : 

Pouiifls. 

Amount of honey fed each colony 66 J 

Colonj^ No. 1, iinished comb honey 41^ 

Colony No. 1, gain in weight of hive 'J 

Colony No. 2, finished comb lioney 38 

Colony No. 2, gain in Aveight of hive 7i 

Taking these two colonies as a basis, the following financial state- 
ment is made : 

79i pounds comb honey, at 14 cents $11. 13 

16i pounds houoy stored in hives, at 8 cents 1. 32 

12. 45 
Minus value of 133 i)ounds honey fed, at 8 cents 10. 64 

$1.81 

Deducting from this profit the value of the sections and foundation 
used, the actual profit, as pay for labor, etc., is, at most, nonnnal. 

When this whole experiment was begun, and during the time it was 
in progress, no honey was gathered from the fields, but before the seal- 
ing was all accomplished the fall honey flow began, and for this reason 
the experiment was ended and the honey removed sooner than would 
otherwise have been advisable. 

The results obtained in this woik or in any experimental work of a 
similar character might vary under more favorable or unfavorable con- 
ditions of environment, and a continuation in various seasons, and under 
other conditions, would alone give really reliable results. The above 
trials are, howeyf^r, very encouraging, and longer and varied work in 
this line is desirable. 



INDEX. 



Actias Inn a, common in Iowa, U. 

Alesia fromata, feeding on cabbage aphis, 13. 

imported from Australia, 13. 

probably established in California, 26. 
Amarantus, web-worm on, 38. 
Ammonia, no improvement to Paris green, 32. 
Anthoinyia sp., possibly a beet enemy, 40. 
Apantelesglomer.atus, parasitic on Pieris rapaj, 43. 
Aphis brassicaj, on rape in Iowa, 46. 
Apiculture, desirability of coutiuuiug experi- 
ments in, 64. 

report on experiments in, 7, 57. 
Army worm, appearance in Iowa, 44. 
Ash-tree Sphinx, in Nebraska, 41. 
Aspidiotus aurautii, fed upon by Scymnus loph- 
anthfe, 15. 

perniciosus, eaten by Scymnus lophanthaj, 15. 
Bees, breediug of, 58. 

removing queen to prevent swarming, 58. 
Beet insects, in Nebraska, 36. 

webworm, injury by, 37. 
life history of, 39. 
Beets, attacked by white grubs, 37. 
Bill-bugs, scarcity of in Missouri, 49. 

plentiful in Iowa, 42. 
Blister-beetle, spotted, on beets, 36, 
Blister-beetles attacking beets, 36. 

remedies tried against, 36. 
Blue-grass worm in Missouri, 53. 
Botrytis tenella vs. Lachnosterna. 47. 
Box-elder Gracilaria, in Missouri, 51. 
Bracon juglandis, parasite of Loxostege ma- 

clurse, 53. 
Bruner, Lawrence, report by, 7, 34. 
Cabbage buttertly, imported, rare in Iowa, 43. 

Curculio, in Missouri, 50. 

Plusia, plentiful in Iowa, 43. 
Camnnla pellucida. In Nebraska, 35. 
Canker-worms, outbreak of, in California, 9. 
Carpocapsa pomonella, in California, 30. 
Cecidomyiid, on sugar maples in Missouri, 56. 
Cecropia moth, in Nebraska, 41. 
Ceutorhyuchus rapa', in Missouri, 50. 
Chenopodiuni album, Anthomyia sp. on, 40. 

Epicauta raaculata on, 36. 

web-worm ou, 38, 39. 
Chinch bug, checked by rains, 41. 

notes on, in Nebraska, 41. 
Chinch bugs, absence of, in Missouri, 49. 
Chrysanthemum, twelve-spotted Diabrotica on, 

50. 
Cladius pectinicornis, on roses in Missouri, 50. 
Clover-i*eed caterpillar, plentiful in Iowa, 44. 

19866— No. 30 5 



Coccinella sangninea, parasitised by Enphorus 

sculptus, 10. 
Coccinellid, an undetermined, 23. 
Coccinellidai, received from Australia, 11. 
Codling moth, benefits of sprajing for, 33. 

in California, 30. 

parasites of, 30, 56. 

Paris green for, 32. 

three-brooded in California, 30. 
Coelodasys unicornis in Nebraska, 41. 
Cooper, Ell wood, letter of, 26. 
Cotjuillett, D. W., report by, 7, 9. 
Corn ear-worm, on corn in Missouri, 50. 
Cosmos, twelve-spotted Diabrotica damaging, 50. 
Cottony-cushion scale, Novius koibelei an enemy 
of, 26. 

still controlled by Vedalia, 9, 26. 
Crambus exsiccatus, injurious in Iowa, 44. 

teterrellus, description of egg and larva, 54. 
hymenopterous parasites of, 54. 
in Missouri, 53. 
Cruciferous plants, enemies of, in Iowa, 43. 
Ctenochiton depressum, feeds sparingly ou scale- 
insects, 11. 

received from New Zealand, 10. 
Dahlia, twelve-spotted Diabrotica damaging, 50. 
Datana angusii, abundant in Iowa, 44. 
Deltocephalus debilis, life history of, 45. 

inimicus, life history of, 45. 
Diabrotica, twelve-spotted, injuries of, 50. 
Diamond back motli, in Iowa, 43. 
Diedrocephala moUipes, winter conditions of. 

45. 
Dissosteira Carolina, in coitu with D. longipeu- 
nis, 35. 

longipennis, in Nebraska, 35. 
Diplosis sp., on soft maple, 55. 
Disonycha coUaris, a spinach pest, 50. 
Edema albifi'ona, injurious to oak in Iowa, 44. 
Empusa grylli, fungous disease of locusts, 34. 
Entomological notes for 1892, Missouri, 49. 
Entomophthora, prevalent among locusts, 35. 
Epicauta maculata, on beets, 36. 

pennsylvanica, on beets, 36. 
Eriocampa cerasi, checked by spraying, 32. 
Euphorus sculptus, hosts of, 15, 16. 

parasitic in America and Australia, 16. 
Experiments in apiculture, 1892, 57. 
Fall web-worm, in Nebraska, 41. 
Field agents, work of, 7. 
Flea-beetles, not numerous in Missouri, 50. 
Fluted scale, destroyed by Novius kcebelei, 20. 

still controlled by Vedalia, 9. 

65 



C6 



rmuisating outfit for scale-insects, purcbaseil by 

city of Riverside, 9. 
Fuiiiigiition for scale-insects in California, 9. 
Fungous disease of locusts, 1)4. 
(iracilaria negundelln, in Missouri, 51. 
Grai)e I'liylloxora, absence of, in Missouri, 49. 
Grapbolitlia intcrstiiictana, |ilcntiful in Iowa, 44. 
Grapla interrogationis, conspicuous in Iowa, 44. 
(Jrasscs, Nouiophila noctuella swarming in, 44. 
Grasshoppers, in Kansas, 47. 
Green-striped maple- worm, in Nebra.slia, 41. 
Hadronema militaris, attacking beets, 36. 
Heliiintbua annuus, Piedisca strenuana on, 30. 
Heliotliis armiger, on corn in .Missouri, 50. 
Heteropus ventricosu.s, attacking Leis confor- 

mis, 23. 
Hippodaniiaconvcrgen.s, para.sitised by Eupliorus 

sculptus, 16. 
Honey, amount gathered influenced bj' removal 
of queen, 59. 
consumed in secreting wax, 59. 
evaporation, by artificial beat, 62. 
, by sun beat, 62. 
experiments in, 61. 
summary of experiments, 63. 
feeding back, 63. 
planting for, 60,61. 

results of experiments in feeding back, 64. 
Honey-locust, Lasioptera sp. ( .') in twigs of, 54. 
Hydiocyanic acid gas treatment, extension of, 9. 
Hypercbiria io, numerous in Iowa, 44. 
Icerya purcbasi, destroyed by Novius koebelei, 
26. 
still controlled by Vedalia, 9, 26. 
Imported cabbage butterfly, rare in Iowa, 43. 
Insect injuries in Nebraska, 34. 
Insects, beneficial, $5,000 appropriated by Califor- 
nia for importing, 10. 
from Australia and New Zealand, 10. 
excessive rainfall adverse to, 49. 
injurious, scarcity of, in Missouri, 49. 
miscellaneous, in Nebraska, 41. 
of California, report on, 9. 
of Iowa, report on, 42. 
Isariasp., probably attacking Coccinellid, 20. 
Jassidtb, destructive in Iowa, 44. 
Kerosene emulsion, not effectual against walnut 

span-worm, 29. 
Koebele, Albert, letters of, 11, 12, 13, 14. 

second mission to Australia, 7, 10. 
Lachno.sterna, attacking beets, 37. 

not aftected by Botrytis tenella, 47. 
Ladybirds, Australian, importation of, 10. 

possibly established, 26. 
Lan-abee, J. H., report by, 7,57. 
Lasioptera sp., on honey locust, 54. 
Leis antipodum, fails to attack scale-insects, 11. 
received from New Zealand, 10. 
conformis, descriptions of egg and larva, 22. 
parasiti-sed by Heteropus ventricosus, 23. 
probably established in California, 26. 
received from Australia, 12. 
Lepidium virginicum, Ceutorhynclms rap.-e on, 

50. 
Leucania unipuncta, appearance in Iowa, 44. 
Lime an improvement to Paris green spray, 33. 
Locust mite, Trombidium locustarum, 35. 



Locusts, causes of decrease. 35. 
df^structive, in Nebraska, 34. 

parasites and diseases of, 34. 
fungous disease of, 34- 
Loxostege machine, description, 51. 
on Osage orange, 51. 
similalis, in Neljraska, 38. 
sticticalis, .attacking beets, 37. 
life-liistoryof, 39. 
Lyda? sp.,on i)lums in Nebraska, 41. 
Macrocentrus delicatus, and Codling moth, 30. 

ho.sts of, 30. 
Mamestra picta, frequent in Iowa, 44. 

sp., on beets, 40. 
Maple, soft, Uiplosis sp. ( ? ) on, 55. 

worm, green striped, in Nebraska, 41. 
Megilla maculata, parasitised by Eupliorus sculp- 
tus, 16. 
Melanoplus atlanis, in Nebraska, 35. 
killed by fungus, etc., 35. 
bivittatus, killed by Eutomophthora, etc., 35. 
dirt'erentialis killed by Eutomophthora, etc. ,35. 
femur-rubrum, killed by Eutomophthora, etc., 

35. 
spretus in Nebraska, 35. 
Microcera coccophila, probable fungus attacking 

Coccinellid, 20. 
Murtfeldt, Mary E., report by, 8, 49. 
Myzus persicaj on plum, in Iowa, 46. 
Nebraska, insect injuries in, 34. 
Nomophila noctuella, plentiful in Iowa, 44. 
Novius koebelei closely resembles Vedalia, 21. 
descriptions of early stages of, 20. 
established at Los Angeles, 25. 
not so efticient as Vedalia, 25. 
received from Australia, 13. 
Oak, Edema albifrons on, 44. 
walnut span-worm on, 27. 
Orange, beneficial insects imported for, 10. 
Orcus australasise, description of eai'ly stages 
of, 16. 
established at Los Angeles, 25. 
probably more beneficial than other impor- 
tations, 9. 
received from Australia, 12. 
cbalybeus, descriptions of early stages of, 19. 
established at Los Angeles, 25. 
from Australia, 12. 
fungus on, 20. 
bilunulatus from Australia, 14. 
Osage Orange Pyralid, description, 51. 
destructiveness in Missouri, 51. 
parasites of, 53. 
Osborn, Herbert, report by, 8, 42. 
Piedisca strenuana, host of Macrocentrus deli- 
catus, 30. 
Papllio asterias, abundant in Iowa, 44. 
cresphontes, abundant in Iowa, 44. 
turnus, abundant in Iowa, 44. 
Parasites of Codling moth, 30. 
scarce in Ml!,souri, 56. 
of Plum curculio, scarce in Missouri, 56. 
Paris green, against walnut spau-worm, 29, 
for codling moth, 32. 
spray iiu proved by lime, 33. 
not improved by ammonia, 32. 
proportions for, 32. 



67 



Pear slug checked by spraying, 32. 

-tree saw-fly iu Nebraska, 41. 
Pepper- grass, wiUl, cabbage ciu-culio on, 50. 
Perimcgatoma variegatiini vs. coiUing moth, 30. 
Pieris rap.e, parasiti.-s of, in Iowa, 4'J. 

rare iu Iowa, 43. 
Pinii)la auuulipes anil codling niotli, 30. 
Pbyllotreta sinuata, uotnuinerous in Missouri, 50. 
Plaut-lice, plentilul in Iowa, 4ti. 
Plum curculio; scarcity of parasites of, 56. 

wild, Myzus persica; on, 40. 
I^lusia brassica;, plentiful in Iowa, 43. 
Plutella cruciferarum, in Iowa, 43. 
Podisus spiuosus, enemy of LoxostegemacluriB, 53. 
Potato stalk weevil in Iowa, 43. 
Prickly asb, Papilio crespbontes on, 44. 
Pteromalus puparum, parasite on Pieris rapa;, 43. 
Punic bees, characteristics of, 58. 
Quercua agrifolia, walnut span-worm on, 27. 
Rape, Aphis brassicse on, 46. 
Rod scale, fed upon by Scymuus lopbanthie, 15. 
Roses, attacked by Cladius pectinicoriiis, 50. 
San Jose scale, fedupouby Scymnuslophantliie, 15. 
Scale insects, hydrocyanic acid gas for, 9. 
Sciiizoneura lanigera, fed upon by Scymuus lo- 

pliantha', 15. 
Scymnids, black, from Australia, 13, 14. 
Scymnus tiavihirtus, feeda sparingly on scalein- 

secta, 11. 

received from Mew Zealand, 10. 
loijhautbiv, feeding on scales, 15. 

from Australia, 14. 
Silptia oi,aca, a possible beet enemy, 40. 
Soldier-bug, spined, enemy of Loxostogemaclura;, 

5.!. 
Span-worm, walnut, description of, 28. 
euumie.'j and parasites, 29. 



Span-worm, walnut — Continued. 

in California, 26, 27. 

remedies for, 29. 
Span-worms, injurious in California, 9. 
Sphenophorus parvulus, threatening corn, 42. 

ocbreus, iu Iowa, 42. 
Spinach, Disonycha coUaris on, 50. 
Spraying for Codling moth, 32. 

benefita of, 33. 
Suntiower, Piedisca strenuana on, 30. 
Sweet clover as silage plant, 61. 
Tent-caterjiillars, injurious in Nebraska. 41. 
Thaliiochares cocciphaga, descriptions of early 
stages of, 24. 

imported from Australia, 12. 

parasitised by Bracon sp., 15. 
Trichobaris triuotata, in Iowa, 43. 
Trogoderma tarsale, not an enemy of codling 

moth, 30. 
Trombidium locustarum, locust mite, 35. 
Tunisian or Punic bees, characteristics of, 58. 
Tussock moth, in Nebraska, 41. 
Twelve-spotted Diabrotica iu flower-gardens, 50. 
Vanessa antiopa, plentiful in Iowa, 44. 
Vedalia cardinalis, sent to Egypt, 9. 

aent to New Zealand, 9. 

sent to South Africa, 9. 
Walnut Uatana iu Nebraska, 41. 
Walnut, English, insects on, 26. 
Walnut span-worm. See Span-worm. 
Wax secretion, experiment in, 59. 
Webster, F. M., tield work of, 7. 
Web-worm, garden, in Nebraska, 38. 
Web-worma attacking beets, 37, 38. 
White grubs attacking beets, 37. 
Woolly aphis, eaten by Scymnus lophanthae, 15. 
Zinias, damaged by twelve-spotted Diabrotica, 50. 



U.S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 

DIVISION OF EI^TOMOLOGY. 
BULLETIIT No. 32. 






REPORTS 



OBSERVATIONS AND EXPERIMENTS 



THE PRACTICAL WORK OF THE DIVISION, 



UNDER THE DIRECTION OF THE ENTOMOLOGIST. 



(PUBLISHED BY AUTHORITY OF THE SECRETARY OF AGRICULTUKE.) 



WASHINGTON: 

GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE. 
I 894. 



U.S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, 

]>lvision of entomology. 

Bulleti:n' No. 32. 



REPORTS 



OBSERVATIONS AND EXPERIMENTS 



THE PRACTICAL WORK OF THE DIVISION, 



UNDER THE DIRECTION OF THE ENTOMOLOGIST. 



(PUBLISHED BY AUTHORITY OF THE SECRETARY OF AGRICULTURE.) 



WASHINGTON: 

GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE. 
1894. 



C. u \:> N 1- 



\n 






N 



i 



r 



j^\ 



.ETTER OF TRANSMITTAL. 



r. S. Department of Agricultttre, 

Division of Entomology, 
WasJiinf/ton, />. C, April li, 1894. 
Sir: 1 have the honor to transmit for publication Bulletin No. 32 of 
this Division. It comprises the reports of the field agents of the Divi- 
sion for the i)ast year (1S93). a summary of which has been included in 
my annual report. 
Eespectfully, 

C.\. lilLEY, 

Entomologist. 
Hon. ,1. Sterling Morton, 



Secretary of Af/rieulture. 



CONTENTS 



Page. 

Letter of Transmittal 3 

Introduction 7 

Keport on IxjuRiors Insects in Nebraska and Aixoining Districts 

Lawrence Britner.. 9 

Report on some of the Injurious Insects of California. .D. W. CoquiUett.. 22 
Report on Entomological Work in Oregon and California; Notes on 

Australian Importations Albert Koebele. . 33 

R icpoRT ON the Insects of Missouri for 1893 Mary E. Murtfeldt. . 37 

Insects of the Season in Iowa in 1893 Herbert Osbom . . 46 

Report on Insects Injurious to Forest Trees A. S. Paclard.. 53 



REPORTS OF OBSERVATIONS AND EXPERIMENTS IN THE 
PRACTICAL WORK OF THE DIVISION. 



mTEODUCTIOI^. 

For some years past it has been the custom, with the approval of the 
Secretary of Ag-riculture, to bring together in a single bulletin, at the 
close of each season, the formal reports of the field agents of the Divi- 
sion; thus, Bulletins 22, 23, 26, and 30 of the Division comprise the 
reports of the field agents forthe years 1889, 1890, 1891, and 1892. This 
present bulletin is a contin^^ation of this series. All of the field agents 
represented in Bulletin 30, with the exception of Mr. Larrabee, were 
continued through the year 1893. All, however, were discontinued 
February 15, 1894, and are no longer connected with the Division, with 
the exception of Mr. Coquillett, who has been called to Washington and 
is now an oftice assistant. 

Mr. Bruner has reported in the main on the observations made upon 
injurious locusts, and judging from these observations there is no reason 
to fear serious injury during the year 1894. The occurrence in special 
abundance of several injurious insects, including the army worm and 
the wheat-head army worm is reported, and a number of new insect 
injuries are mentioned. 

Mr. Coquillett's report consists principally of a somewhat detailed 
account of several different kinds of leaf-eating caterpillars which attack 
fruit trees and nut trees in California. To this he adds a section on 
arseniureted and sulphureted hydrogen as insecticides. 

Mr. Koebele presents a few additional observations upon the sub- 
ject of the hop plant-louse in the northwest, and some additional facts 
regarding the latest importation of beneficial insects from Australia. 

Miss Murtfeldt gives a general summary of the injurious insects of 
Missouri for the year 1893. 

Prof. Osborn, in a like way, reports upon the injurious insects of 
Iowa for the season, and includes some important observations on the 
hatching of the eggs of the horse bot-fly. 

Dr. Packard reports the almost complete recovery of the regions in 
Maine ravaged in, 1878-'87 by the spruce worm, and he includes a 
number of new observations upon insects injurious to forest trees. 

c. y. R. 



RE POET OX INJURIOUS INSECTS IN NEBRASKA AND 
ADJOINING DISTRICTS. 



By Lawrence Bruner, Special Field A (lent. 



LETTER OF SUBMITTAL. 

Lincoln. Nebr., Xovemhvr 3, 1S93. 

Sir : I submit herewith a short report upon my investigations among the injurious 
insects of Nebraska and adjoining districts during the past summer. While these 
jiests have not been generally numerous and destructive over the region assigned 
me, a few species from among the hosts of these creatures that are ever present have 
been sufficiently abundant to commit injury to the crops attacked and to require 
special attention on the part of the entomologist and agriculturist. Some of my 
time has also been given to a further study of destructive locusts and allied insects 
Tielouging to the order Orthoi>tera, in which I have been especially interested for 
some years. For this purpose three separate trips were made into quite distinct 
regions, viz, one to Colorado for the j)urpose of investigating a local locust outbreak 
about the town of Grand Junction, a second to western Nebraska and eastern Wyo- 
ming to examine into a reported ai)pearauce of the Rocky Mountain locust, and, 
lastly, a short tour of inspection through the eastern and central parts of Nebraska 
for the purpose of ascertaining exactly how numerous and extensive were the inju- 
ries caused by the '' native " species of locusts that had been reported as committing 
havoc with various garden truck, small trees, grape-vines, and also in some instances 
field crops. 

Many of the notes made on other insects than locusts, and in fact some of the lat- 
ter also, were obtained in connection with work carried on at the University of 
Nebraska or while engaged in field work for this institution. These latter are sub- 
mitted herewith as of some possible value to the general public aside from citizens 
of the State. 

Very respectfully, yours, 

Lawrence Bruxer. 

C. V. ElLEY, 

U. S. Entomologist. 



LOCUSTS OR "GRASSHOPPERS." 

The past summer again lias been noted as one in which the various 
species of indigenous locusts were present in overwhelming numbers 
over a large area of country. The injuries wrought by these insects 
were, therefore, great and widespread. Reports bearing on the subject 
were received from a number of correspondents located in this and 
adjoining States. The newspapers also contained like reports, from 
all of which it becomes quite -evident that something definite in the 

9 



lU REPORTS OF OBSERVATIONS AND EXPERIMENTS. 

way of remedying- the evil must be done soon if we would expect to 
escape future ravages from this source. Mauy of the common species, 
like the red-legged locust {Melanophts femur -rubrum), the two-striped 
locust {Melanoplus hivtttatus), and the difterential locust {Melanoplm 
difercnfmlis), and others of like nature, are becoming more and more 
reconciled to ''civilized ways" each succeeding year, and hence are bet- 
ter enabled to withstand these conditions than are others. This being 
true, tliey increase proportionately as the area embracing the conditions 
under consideration enlarges. Other influences, of course, also either 
favor or retard the increase of these particular species, as they do allied 
forms; but these influences seem to have less to do with the matter in 
their case than in that of the majority of species. They are the " hardy 
forms" of the family, and are capable of adapting themselves in their 
life struggle to a greater amount of variation in climate, altitude, and 
surface configuration. 

Several trips were made during the summer in connection with the 
study of our destructive locusts. Besides the time thus spent, some 
attention was given the subject here at home. One of these trips was 
made during the latter part of June to western Colorado, where I went to 
examine into locust injuries in and about Grand Junction. A.lthough 
I reported at the time, I submit the following account of this trip for 
your inspection : 

A Report on Locust Injuries in the Vicinity of GrandJmiction, Colo. — 
At the request of the Board of Trade of Grand Junction, I visited that 
place during the month of June to examine into a plague of locusts that 
were engaged in devastating the region about that city. After spend- 
ing a week here I found the conditions to be about as follows: About 
four years ago it was observed that grasshoppers were unusually abun- 
dant on a piece of waste land near the Grand River, a little south of 
the town of Fruita, which is situated about 12 miles west of Grand 
Junction. As the 'hoppers had plenty of food and were not destroyed 
by parasites or disturbed by the settlers or by birds to a sufficient extent 
to reduce their numbers, and having suitable places for the deposition 
of their eggs, the result is plain. The winter following the egg-laying 
reported was favorable, and the following spring, being likewise favor- 
able to the young, resulted in the spreading of the pest to several of the 
surrounding farms, where they did some damage to crops and orchards. 
Again nothing was done to diminish their numbers or to prevent their 
injuries or their spread to new ground. The season was also fovorable 
to their development, egg-laying, and spreading. The opening of the 
third year came, and in course of time the young hatched and began 
their work upon the crops over a greatly extended area. Their injury 
was quite extensive, in fact, and comprised both field crops and orchards. 
This year many thousands of dollars' worth of property was destroyed 
by them. The orchards in particular suttered from their depredations. 
As the principal product of the region is fruit, the destruction of fruit 



REPORTS OF OBSERVATIONS AND EXPERIMENTS. 11 

trees wa-s greatly felt by the settlers who happened to lose by their 
attacks. One orchard alone is reijorted to have suffered to the extent 
of $25,0()(), That this estimate was none too great I can attest from 
personally having visited and examined it. The orchard in question is 
of 80 acres in extent and composed of thrifty trees, all of bearing 
size. Fully one half of the trees were destroyed by the locusts, which 
came by the millions from adjoining fields of alfalfa. They ate off the 
leaves and even stripped the smaller twigs of their bark. A great 
many other orchards were more or less completely destroyed by the 
l)est last year. Even with all this amount of injury going on about 
them, the inhabitants did but little toward protecting themselves, and 
what little fighting they did do was undertaken so late in the year that 
it did comparatively little good even in the line of preventing egg depos- 
iting. The warfare did not begin until after the 'hoppers had attained 
their wings and were spreading out over the region preparatory to egg- 
laying. At this time they had mostly left the fields of alfalfa and grain 
and were nearly all in the trees composing the various orchards of the 
region. Here they remained u])on the twigs and branches, feeding upon 
the leaves and tender bark of the new growth. In this situation it was 
next to impossible to dislodge them or get at them with a remedy. 
Some bran and arsenic was used by a few of the settlers in fighting the 
pest, but this was handled so carelessly in many instances that not 
only were domestic fowls and an occasional larger animal destroyed, 
but also nearly all of the native birds of the region that occasionally 
add to their insect diet other food were killed. In fact, the only good 
feature connected with the use of the bran-arsenic remedy iu this j)ar- 
ticular instance was the destruction of many rabbits. These latter 
were killed by the hundreds and pretty well exterminated in the imme- 
diate vicinity of the orchards where the remedy was used. 

The present year, the fourth in Avhich these insects have been pres- 
ent in this region, I chanced to visit the locality about a week before 
the mass of 'hoppers had attained their growth. I was therefore in 
time to do some good for the residents by suggesting and showing them 
a more profitable and, at the same time, practical method of warfare 
suitable to the particular occasion, viz, the "hopper-dozer," or kerosene 
pan. It was ascertained that the majority of the insects were still 
confined to the edges of alfalfa and grain fields, or else were to be found 
amongst the rank vegetation growing along the edges of irrigating 
ditchesandover such grounds as were more or less frequently watered by 
the waste from these ditches. In such localities it was seen that the most 
practical remedy that could be employed at this time was the " dozers." 
Accordingly several of these machines were ordered made, and meet- 
ings of the farmers and fruit-growers and other interested parties called 
for the purpose of discussing the subject preparatory to attacking the 
foe. At these meetings, held in both Grand Junction and Fruita, 
addresses were delivered outlining the various methods that have been 



12 REPORTS OF OBSERVATIONS AND EXPERIMENTS. 

used at various times in the i)ast in different countries and under clivers 
conditions iu tigbtiug tbe locust pests of the world. In connection 
with the remarks made, charts were exhibited showing the dift'ereuces 
amoug the species committing these injuries against which relief had 
been sought. Both the practical remedies, or such as can be applied with 
a saving, and the impractical remedies, or such as cost more to apply than 
would be the value of the crops intended to be saved, were described 
at some lengtli. It is needless to say that I favored the practical rem- 
edies, although there were many among the audiences who insisted upon 
tlie adoption of some remedy where there would be little or no outlay of 
labor. Nevertheless the "practical" methods were insisted upon by me 
since the people were not overburdened with cash to such an extent 
that they could afford to go into a series of doubtful experiments at 
this late date of the trouble. 

Every circumstance seemed to favor the use of the hopper-dozers at 
this time. Prior to my arrival the citizens of Grand Junction had 
secured a 10,000-gallon tank of crude petroleum for use in destroying 
the 'hoppers. This, as I afterwards ascertained, was intended to be 
used for pouring into the irrigating ditches and allowing it to spread 
over the country so as to come in contact (?) with the insects which it 
was intended to destroy. In my addresses I insisted that this would 
only be throwing the material away and would also destroy the vege- 
tation wherever the oil reached, and that the locust would be mostly 
left unharmed. We tried the oil in the 'hopper-dozers and were sur- 
prised at the results. It worked much better,if jiossible, than the refined 
oil, and its cost was so very much less, being only 4 cents per gallon 
delivered at Grand Junction, that its use iu this connection could be 
highly recommended. The comparative thickness made it more desira- 
ble because of its remaining in the pan to better advantage. It could 
even be cheapened by adding water to the oil in the pan on the dozers. 

There were several species of locusts concerned in the depredations 
in and about Grand Junction, as well as at other points in the surround- 
ing regions of Colorado. I found Melanoplus atlanis, M. bivittatus, 
and M. (lifferentialis in the fi.eids of the region examined. There were 
also several other species very numerous in the valley and upon the 
surrounding hills wherever the vegetation was of sufficient size to sup- 
port them. One was an undescribed species of Pezotettix, as these 
insects have been classed by American writers, somewhat resembling 
il/. iurnhuUi Thos., owXy with very short and rounded tegmina. Like 
M. turnbulli, it seems to be confined chiefly to species of the Chenopo- 
diaceiP, of which the region contains many forms. It is especially 
fond of the greasewood {Stoxobatcs vermicuJaris). Peculiar enough 
was the fact that on my arrival much of the preparation for defense 
that was then under way was for the destruction of this Pezotettix? 
that did none or very little of the injury that had thus far occurred in 
the valley. I have proposed for this si)eL'ies the name Pezotettix cheno- 



REPORTS OF OBSERVATIONS AND EXPERIMENTS. 13 

podii, and have fuirii.slicd for publication in Insect Life a more, detailed 
description tlian is liere given. 

Whether or not my visit to the region in question resulted in any 
good to the settlers I can not say, for I have not heard from there up 
to the date of this writiug. If the instructions which I gave and 
insisted upon being carried out were followed the valley could be 
practicallj^ freed from the pest. 

In estimating the cost for the extermination of the plague in this 
particular region, I believe that it could have been done with au 
expenditure not to exceed a couple of thousand dollars in money. Of 
course, the labor necessary for the extermination would be quite au 
item were it performed solely for the destruction of the 'hoppers without 
auy regard to the saving of crops, and if not done by the settlers them- 
selves upon their owa and adjoining lauds. Some of these figures were 
given to the public in my talks above alluded to. 

In closing my remarks concerning this. visit to Grand Junction, I 
wish simply to add that nature has made the region one of the very 
best fruit districts iu the country. Climate is favorable, but few insect 
pests have been introduced from abroad, and these cannot live iu the 
changed conditions of the arid climate belonging to the country. Few 
of the native insects can ever become injurious on account of the differ- 
ences iu the food-plants that this change would entail. Lastly, the 
grasshopper plague of the past few years is due entirely to careless- 
ness on the part of the settlers themselves, and a repetition of such an 
occurrence can be ijrevented by a little watchfulness on their part. A 
little care in the way of cleaning up about the waste lauds lying along 
the ditches will be all that is necessary. 

West Nebraska and Wyoming Trip. — On the 23d of August I left 
Lincoln for the western part of this State and eastern Wyoming to 
examine into the reported locust injuries in that section of the country. 
Stops were made at Sidney, Pine Bluifs, Cheyenne, and the country 
lying at the headwaters of Pole and Crow creeks. Over this entire 
scope of country the various '^ native species" of Acridians were exceed- 
ingly numerous — much more so than ordinarily — and any one who has 
collected these insects here knows what such au assertion means. 
Judging from the collections made at each of the localities visited, I 
have no hesitation in making the statement that fully one-half of the 
species common to the country embraced were injuriously numerous. 
Some of these had never before been observed by me to occur so plenti- 
fully. While but little farming is done in this region, the injury was 
nevertheless much felt by the settlers. The ranges were much reduced 
in value by these insects, which must have devoured fully one-half of 
all the grasses and other forage plants growing upon them. In many 
places the vegetation had been eaten so closely that a sheep would 
have had a hard time to feed upon the remnants. 

In settled districts and where irrigating is resorted to remedies can 
be suggested, but upon the high, dry plains of western Nebraska and 



14 REPORTS OF OBSERVATIONS AND EXPERIMENTS. 

the adjoining' portions of Colorado and Wyoming- it is impossible to 
destiv)y these locnsts by any artificial means known to me. Climatic 
conditions alone mnst be depended npon for lemedying the evil, since 
the scope of country that would necessarily have to be covered is too 
great to think of stamping out the pest artificially. 

Roclqi Mountain or Migratory Locust. — The Eocky Mountain or 
migratory locust {Mela)W2)ltts spretus) has not been reported from any 
point in excessive numbers during the past summer so far as I am 
at present aware. Still it seems to have been sufficiently common over 
portions of tlie subpermanent region to warrant our watching its move- 
ments. On or about the 18th of August it was reported that grasshop- 
pers in considerable numbers were seen in the air at West Point, this 
State. Although it is not definitely known to just what species these 
hoppers belonged, they were without doubt stragglers of the present 
species, since at abont the same time it occurred in moderate numbers 
here at Lincoln and several neighboring places. In fact, it has been 
noticed by me both in the air and on the ground several times during 
the summer, as it was also last summer. At no time, however, was it 
observed in sufficient numbers to do perceptible injury to crops or 
other vegetation, nor were the insects seen to deposit eggs. It did not 
appear among the species that caused the observed and reported dam- 
ages during the season. 

Injuries from '■'■Native'''' Locusts. — Much injury Avas done during the 
summer by different species of our native locusts that have been very 
common at a number of localities in this and adjoining States, Here 
at Lincoln we were obliged to fight tlieln upon the experimental farm; 
and from a field of oats of about 30 acres in extent at least 50 bushels 
of winged locusts were captured with a hopper-dozer. Tliey were 
hatched upon waste land adjoining the farm, and during the dry, hot 
weather of August left the weeds and moved into the more inviting- 
fields. Numerous reports of similar injuries reached me from nearly 
every portion of this and adjoining- States where farming was carried 
on extensively. The species concerned were the common ones usually 
engaged in such depredations in this central region, viz, the red-legged, 
the two-lined, the differential and the lesser migratory. In some local- 
ities all, in others only one or two, of these were concerned in the 
injuries. At different localities different ones were present in greatest 
force. 

As stated above it is quite evident that if the losses occasioned by 
these insects do not soon cease, something will have to be done to pre- 
vent their further depredations. 

OTHER INSECTS. 

The Army Worm. — This year has been noted in Nebraska as one in 
which the army worm {Leueania unipuncta) was exceedingly abun- 
dant and did much injury to crops in many of the western, northwest- 



REPORTS OF OBSERVATIONS AND EXPERIMENTS. 15 

eru, and uortheru counties. Millet appeared to suffer most, altbough 
late oats and corn in a few instances were injured to some extent. 

One of these regions, viz, Ordai, in Valley County, was visited for the 
purpose of studying the insect in its work upou the croj^s. lu this 
section of country several fields of millet had been almost entirely 
destroj^ed by the worms about a week prior to my visit. From the mil- 
let the worms moved into adjoining corn fields, at the edges of Avhich 
tbey were fought in two or three instances by means of deep furrows 
in which logs were dragged backward and forward. Many of the lar- 
va* or caterpillars had already entered the ground and transformed to 
chrysalids; but still others remained in the fields hidden away under 
garbage of all kinds, or crept about on the ground. Nearly all of 
these contained the eggsof Tachina tiies upon their heads and thoracic 
joints. Flying and walking about the infested fields were large flocks 
of Bartram's sandpiper, red-winged blackbirds, sparrows, meadow- 
larks and several other birds that had been attracted by the rich food 
supply. These, together Avith the dipterous parasites, predaceous 
ground beetles, and several wasps, had, I was informed at the time, 
destroyed more than three-fourths of the pests, thereby illustrating the 
value of these creatures in keeping injurious insects in cheek. 

Rei)orts also reached me of the presence of this insect in hurtful 
numbers at the following localities : In Dixon, Holt, Jefferson, Custer, 
Valley, and several other counties not definitely stated. 

The Wheat-head Army- ^Yorm. — This yearfor the firsttime I have seen 
the larva of Leucania alhilinea to recognize it. While running the hop- 
per-dozer on the experimental farm in capturing destructive locusts, 
numerous specimens of the caterpillars ot this insect were found 
mingled with the dead hoppers in the kerosene-oil pans. They were 
clinging to the stems of the grain and were knocked down by the 
machine as it was dragged through the field. Although quite plenti- 
ful, the larvjTB did not appear to do any appreciable injury in the field 
of oats that had been planted to cut for hay. No attempt was made 
to breed parasites from the insect, although some specimens were seen 
to contain egg's of some dipteron upon the thoracic segments and head. 

The Fall Weh-irorm. — This insect was again quite prominent among 
the insect enemies that were present in cities and towns during the 
summer. Especially was this true with respect to its first brood. In 
the cities of Omaha and Lincoln it appeared in large numbers, partic- 
ularly in the former city, where it stripped and covered the branches 
of most of the box-elders and some of the other shade trees with its 
unsightly webs. So alarmed about its continued presence and further 
injuries were many of the citizens that they cut down the trees " to 
save them." In fact, the moths for the second brood issued in large 
numbers, laid their eggs and died. These eggs hatched, and the situa- 
tion certainly appeared quite critical. For some reason the greater 
proportion of the caterpillars of this second brood died or were destroyed 



16 REPORTS OF OBSERVATIONS AND EXPERIMENTS. 

before tliey liad become lialf growu, Wlietlier their demise was due to 
disease or to the attacks of certain predaceous and j^arasitic insects, or 
both, I Lave not learned. That they disappeared at this particular 
stage of their growth remains a certainty, as I have been assured by 
several correspondents who were greatly interested in the subject and 
who watched them very closely. In this city also this second brood of 
caterpillars was less numerous than the first, and, as in Omaha, they 
dwindled from time to time so that comi)aratively few matured. 

The Eight-spotted Forester. — During July reports of injury by this 
insect to vineyards reached me. About the second week of the mouth 
a few of the grape-growers in the vicinity of Omaha became so alarmed 
about the ravages of the larva' of this moth that they asked me to 
visit their vineyards at their expense. I did so and found that the cat- 
erpillars had been quite numerous and done nuich damage by devour- 
ing the foliage in several of the smaller vineyards. At the time of my 
visit (July 13) most of the caterpillars had disappeared; but such as 
remained were much infested with the eggs of some Tachina fly. As 
many as four to eight of theseeggs were frequently found upon a single 
caterpillar. These parasitic flies had evidently been quite abundant 
during the reign of the caterpillars. 

Some spraying with Paris green and London purple was done with 
beneficial results; but most growers "trusted in Providence," and in 
this instance, at least, fared fully as well as did those who " fought." 

The Stalli-horer. — While investigating the ravages of the eight- 
spotted forester about Omaha much injury caused by the common 
stalk-borer {Gortyuci nitela) was also observed. The larvae of this 
insect seemed exceedingly common, and were working on sweet-corn, 
tomatoes, eggplant, etc., many of the stalks of which were bored into, 
causing them to die. In some instances two, occasionally even three, 
of the caterpillars were found working in a single stalk. It is needless 
to state that considerable injury resulted from their attacks. As a 
remedy I suggested the collecting and burning of all injured stalks 
containing larviB. 

UnTcnotcn Lepidopterous Larva horimj in Stalks of Corn. — Late in 
August a specimen of the work of some lepidopterous larva boring in 
the stalks of corn was received from Mr. H. S. Smith, living near Pen- 
der, this State, with the accompanying letter: 

" I today send you by mail an insect that is working on the corn to 
a considerable extent, and that is at least new to me. It generally works 
about the second joint above ground. Have now mostly left the corn — 
not over one in twenty still in stalk." 

In a second letter (September 5) he wrote : " Would say that the insects 
wanted have almost entirely left the corn. Only succeeded in finding- 
two, which I send you. Found one that was being eaten by a white 
maggot that looks like the larva of the common ' bluebottle.' There 



REPORTS OP OBSERVATIONS AND EXPERIMENTS. 17 

are always two holes iu the cornstalk, one at each end of where it lias 
bored the inside out. The injured stalks break off in wind storms." 

The insects had entered the chrysalis stage when received, so that the 
larva is unknown to me. It would appear from what Mr. Smith writes 
that some of the larviii leave the stalks to transform, while others do 
not. At any rate, its comiiarative abundance and boring habits would 
indicate that we have in this insect a quite dangerous corn pest. It 
certainly will require additional study before we are entirely acquainted 
with it in all of its changes and life-history. The only encouragement 
that I can noM' offer is the presence, apparently, of a dipterous parasite 
in the •' white maggot," mentioned by Mr. Smith. 

Swarms of a Xoctuid Moth. — Large swarms of Noctuid moths appeared 
almost simultaneously at many widely separated points in i^ebraska 
and adjoining regions during apple-blooming time, and a number of 
letters were received concerning them. Many of my correspondents 
seemed to think they were the codling moth {Carpoeap.sa iximoncJla) 
that had issued somewhat prematurely and were simply waiting for the 
j)roper time for oviposition. Consequently, their having taken alarm 
could not be wondered at. Judging from the material accompanying 
some of the letters, it is supposed that the swarms were chiefly made 
up of a single species of cutworm moth {Ghorizagrotis introferens), 
although several other species were represented iu some localities. The 
material received varied greatly in size and markings, as could be seen 
even from tbe much-rubbed specimens in question. At the time nothing- 
was thought of the matter, and none of the insects were saved. A little 
later, when the Entomologist requested an investigation of the larval 
stages of this species, with its life-history and food-habits, the swarms 
of moths had disappeared, their going having been apparently as sud- 
den and complete a mystery as was their coming. A careful search by 
myself and several students at different places where moths had been 
very plentiful during the invasion failed to reveal any larvaj in uucom- 
monly great numbers ; and all requests by letter among such corre- 
spondents as were addressed on the subject were just as futile. 

It is greatly to be regretted that no solution of this insect's life- 
history and food-habits were made when such apparently good 
opportunities were offered for the purpose. Was not this one of those 
peculiar cases of an ordinarily rare insect gathering in countless 
numbers and migrating to regions new that we sometimes hear about 
or have occasion to record ? Were not the sv/arms of moths gradually 
brought together and wafted into the region by some peculiarly favor- 
able winds from the southwest 1 I can imagine no other solution of 
this problem. It seems identical with the case of the Aletia xylina^ 
which often appears over much of the region lying to the far north of 
its natural range, and away from all of its known food-plants. 
1493— Bull. 32 2 



18 REPORTS OF OBSEKVATIONS AND EXPERIMENTS. 

SUGAR-BEET INSECTS. 

Tanymecus confertns as a Suf/ar-hcct Enemy. — Early in the season 
iuforinatioii readied me of considerable injnry to young sugar beets at 
Ames, this State. Witli the report were inclosed specimens of the beetle 
kno\vn by the above name. A visit to the infested fields a few days 
later lesulted in confirming what had been claimed by my informant, 
viz, that this insect was present in large numbers upon a certain field 
of about twelve acres in extent, the greater portion of which had been 
completely defoliated. Investigation convinced me that the insect, 
althongh (piite a general feeder, Mas more partial to several of the 
weeds growing in the field with the beets and only attacked the latter 
when the others had been devoured. Chief among the weeds thus 
attacked was the common cocklebur {Xanthium strunianuin). Such 
other weeds as Ghenopodinm alba and I'olygoniim sp. were also eaten. 

At the time of my visit the insects were mating, and as the cockle- 
bur appeared to be their first choice as a food plant, it Avas surmised 
that that was the plant which naturally attracted the insect in such 
large numbers, and that the beet was only attacked after the other 
had been exhausted. Further investigations revealed the fact that 
last year, and in all i)robability for several previous years, the same 
field and several of the adjoining tracts of land had been allowed to 
grow up with cockleburs. This leads me to cojiclude that the insect 
had bred upon or within this plant in such luimbers as to become a 
pest the i)resent year when most of the weeds upon which they fed 
through choice had been destroyed. Later the insects dispersed and 
nothing further has been heard of them as a beet enemy. 

Numbers of the beetle were carried liome with me and kept confined 
in a fruit jar with several plants as food. lu all instances the cockle- 
bur was totally destroyed before the others were attacked. 

Eggs were laid by the insects indiscriminately upon the sides and 
bottom of the jar, as well as upon the vegetation placed in the jar for 
Food. These, however, did not hatch, as they were evidently abnor- 
mally placed. Here would have been a si)lendid opportunity of ascer- 
taining something of the life-history, had I been provided with breed- 
ing facilities for rearing and studying its various stages. My limited 
room here prevented such a study and the opportunity was lost to me 
for this year at least. 

Where the insects attacked the young beets a sprinkling with Lou- 
don purple was said to be efiectivein checking their injury, but whether 
by killing or driving the insects awa;\ was not re]iorted. 

The f/ioiijur Ji((rl--hoyer.~ An insect that is of special interest to us 
in this part of the country where but few evergreens grow naturally, is 
the one known as the juniper bark borer (/V(/«'osi« Mi- detitatus)on account 
of its usual mode of attack upon our red cedar {JnnijH'rus rirghiiaRa). 
During the year this insect was called to my attention by Mr. K. Harvey, 
of St. Paul, through the secretary of the State board of agriculture. It 



REPORTS OF OBSERVATIONS AND EXPERIMENTS. 19 

appears that it has been brought into tbis particular region by means 
of a shipment of cedar posts and, esca])ing, has found the trees upon 
the hiwn of Mr. Harvey. These trees being smaller than the trees 
usually attacked by this insect, the mode of attack was necessarily 
changed to conform with the conditions. Instead of working under the 
bark by running its galleries between the wood and bark, it attacked 
the smaller twigs and limbs where it entered at the axils of these with 
the still smaller twigs, reminding one of the attacks of Amphicerus 
hicaudatus upon apple trees. 

I remember another case, somethiug similar to the present, where the 
shipment of posts of this tree was the means of introducing a number 
of specimens of the cedar borer {HyJohnpes lif/neus). Some of the 
mature beetles escaped and found a tree growing in the lawn of a i-esi- 
deut of West Point, this State, which they attacked, and deposited 
eggs that developed into larvte that killed the tree. 

Lyda sj). on Plum. — The past summer, as in previous years, a species 
of sawfly of the genus Lyda has been exceedingly numerous upon the 
wild and some of the cultivated i:>lum trees growing in parts of the 
central region in this State. The larvii^ or slugs feed in colonies, spin- 
ning webs and drawiDg the leaves of the branches and twigs together 
in a somewhat similar manner to that of the choke-cherry Tortrix 
{Tortrix rileijana). Although this insect has been exceediDgly common 
and destructive to this tree for several years I have thus far failed to 
obtain specimens for the purpose of rearing the imago. Such few speci- 
mens as have been sent in have always arrived in a condition that 
prevented their development, and circumstances have always prevented 
me from visiting at the proper time the regions overrun to secure them 
for myself, nor have any of my correspondents from whom accounts of 
the insect were received sent me material that could be used for breed- 
ing purposes. 

That this is a dangerous plum pest there can be no doubt, for entire 
gro^'es are reported to have been stripped by the slugs within a very 
few days. Its unsightly webs and the curled dead leaves frequently 
remain upon the trees months after the injury has been committed. 
Several trials with London purple sprays have been reported as only 
partially successful. 

The Cucumher Plant-louse. — The cucumber plant-louse {Aphis cucum- 
eris) has recently made its appearance in the State in hurtful numbers. 
During the past summer complaints of its abundance were made by the 
Gedney Pickle Company, of Omaha, wliich has about 1,000 acres of 
cucumber vines planted each year. A visit on the 27th of July to the 
fields near the city of Omaha showed the louse present in moderate 
numbers in a few of the fields, but as Mr. Gedney remarked, "in a few 
days the entire field could be overrun by the pest." He, Mr. Gedney, 
has paid some attention to the study of this insect, and was very 
anxious about the outcome of the attack. Last vear he said the com- 



20 REPORTS OF OBSERVATIONS AND EXPERIMENTS. 

paiiy lost more tban one-half of their entire crop of cucumbers on account 
of its attacks, and to be threateued again the present year was quite a 
check to the industry. This was especially hard since the custom fol- 
lowed by the company is to contract with the different farmers of the 
surrounding vicinity to plant a certain number of acres of the plants 
and agreeing in turn to i)ay for the crop at a given rate per bushel. 
The injuries wrought last year by the Aphis made it very difficult to 
induce others to plant for them the present year. The kerosene emul 
sion was .suggested as a remedy that could be effectively used. 
Whether or not it became necessary to wage war upon the insect later 
I have not learned. The pickle industry has become of sufficient 
importance in the State to warrant our giving attention to the study 
of the insect enemies of the cucumber in future, and I shall try to make 
a special study of them another year. 

Pine Scale-insects. — Ee^jorts of injury to pines by Clicrmes irinicorti- 
cis have reached me from time to time during the past two years. Thus 
far, however, no specimens of the insect have been received. Several 
times corresj)ondents have sent twigs of jiine containing the scales of 
the pine-leaf scale-louse {Mytilas^pis innifolice.) I have also observed 
this last-named insect in great numbers at several widely separated 
points within the State. It was seen upon a couple of trees growing on 
the lawn of 'My. J. H. Masters, near Nebraska City. In Omaha it was 
found ui)on some trees; at Tekamah it has been very abundant, and 
among the native pines of the northwestern part of the State it is the 
most characteristic insect enemy of these trees. Wherever this and 
other scale-insects abound they are attacked by several of our Coccinelid 
beetles, but more especially by the one known as the twice-stabbed 
ladybird {CMlocorus Mvulnerus). Sometimes this ladybird is so numer- 
ous as to be i^resent by the hundreds upon a single branch of trees 
infested with scale-insects. 

Chinch-bng Irifection. — In compliance with your request I present here- 
with a short statement relative to my experience with the chinch-bug 
infection for field use during the past summer here in iJ^ebraska. 

Early in the season (April) indications pointed to the probability of 
considerable injury during the year by the chinch-bug. Consequently 
it was decided by the board of regents at one of their meetings to carry 
on some experiments in the line followed with apparent success by Prof. 
F. H. Snow of the University of Kansas during the four or five years past. 
Certain funds were set aside with which to equip and carry on a labora- 
tory for the propagation and spread of the fungus, Sporotrichton glohn- 
liferum, that is parasitic ujwu certain insects. Infected bugs with which 
to start were obtained from Prof. Snow. Live, healthy bugs were 
then gathered from whatever source they could be obtained, and these 
were placed in jars, boxes, etc., with the "starters," and the conditions 
made to conform as nearly as possible with the directions issued by the 
Kansas University and sent with shi^jments of the infected bugs. As 



REPORTS OF OBSERVATIONS AND EXPERIMENTS. 21 

a rule no trouble was experienced in securing the spread of the disease 
from the infected to healthy bugs in the laboratory. Only twice dur- 
ing the earlier portion of our experiments did the infection seem tem- 
porarily to lose its virulence on account of lack of material. For a con- 
siderable time after starting in it was almost impossible to obtain the 
necessary live bugs from farmers living in infested portions of the 
State. As long as this was the case but few lots of dead or infected 
bugs were sent ont from the station. Later, when bugs were received 
by us every day we found no difficulty in securing fungus-covered bugs 
in sufficient quantities to supply all applicants with the disease to be 
used in field experiments. Accompanying each small shiinnentof dis- 
eased bugs were sent directions for their use, these instructions being 
practically the same as those sent out by the Kansas station. 

Later, about the third week in September, a circular letter asking for 
iufornmtion was sent to each person who had received bugs from us. 
This was for the purpose of obtaining facts relative to the success or 
nonsuccess attending the exjieriments in the fields over the infested 
area by the farmers who had undertaken this portion of the work. Up 
to the present writing about one hundred replies have been i-eceived. Of 
these about one-half are favorable, the other half, uncertain or negative. 

During the trials in the fields the weather was very unfavorable to 
the growth of Sporotrichum, being very dry and hotj hence the sur- 
]irise that so large a proportion of the replies should be favorable. 

Some of the correspondents reported the gathering of bugs in clus- 
ters where they died without presenting any indications of the fungus 
growth. These evidently died from the bacterial disease mentioned by 
Prof. Snow. It also was present occasionally in our breeding cages in 
the laboratory, where it did very eff'ective work. It was especially 
noticeable during the warmer and dryer part of the summer. 



KEPOET ON SOME OF THE INJURIOUS INSECTS OF CALI- 
FORNIA. 



By D. W. CoQUiLLETT, Sjiecial Agent. 



LETTER OF SUBMITTAL. 

Washington, D. C, Kovemler 7, 1S93. 
Sir: I herewith submit mj^ annual report for the year 1893. This consists prin- 
cipally of accounts of several kinds of leaf-eating caterpillars which attack various 
kinds of fruit and nut trees in California. 
Very respectfully, yours, 

D. W. Coquillett. 
Dr. C. V. Riley, 

U. S. Entomologist. 



The Wahint SiJcm-icorm (Boarmia plumogeraria Hulst). — In Bulletin 
No. 30 (pp. 26-29) of tliis Division, I gave an account ot a span-worm 
that had occasioned very serious damage to English- walnut trees in a 
certain locality in southern California. At the time of submitting that 
report none of the moths had issued from the chrysalis state, and I was 
therefore unable to give the technical name of the insect. Moths began 
to emerge January 5, 1893, and continued at intervals to March 25. 

Owing to the fact that the female is wingless, and that the chrysalis 
state is passed in a cell in the earth, we are enabled to prevent the rav- 
ages of this pest by simply preventing the female moths from ascending 
tlie trees and depositing their eggs. To accomplish this many devices 
and substances have been used, as in the case of the canker-worms, the 
females of which are wingless, and the transformations of which are 
similar to those of the present species; hence every remedy that can 
be successfully used against the canker-worms is equally applicable to 
the present species. 

Perhaps the simplest device to use for the purpose of preventing the 
female moths from ascending the tree consists of a band of tarred 
building paper about 6 inches wide, wrapped around the tree close 
to the ground and fastened with a stout string passed around the band 
near its upper edge. The lower edge of the band should be pressed 
firmly into the earth, so that no portion of the tree below the band is 
exposed to view. Some kind of sticky substance should be painted or 
smeared around the upper portion of this baud to a distance of two or 
22 



REPORTS OF OBSERVATIONS AND EXPERIMENTS. 23 

more inches in width. For this Xjurpose may be mentioned tar, printer's 
ink, molasses, melted India rubber, and a mixture of oil and resin 
boiled together. These bands should be placed upon the trees a short 
time before the first moth issues from the ground, and should remain 
upon the trees until the last moth of the season is dead. My notes 
indicate that in southern California this period extends from about 
January 1 to the latter part of April, and during this period the sticky 
substance should be renewed at short intervals, never allowing it to 
become sufficiently hard to permit of the moths passing over it. After 
the last moth of the season has passed away the bands should be 
removed from the trees, and thoroughly scalded, in order to destroy any 
eggs that may have been deposited upon them. 

For a description of the numerous devices that have been employed 
for the purpose of preventing the female canker-worms from ascending 
the trees and depositing their eggs, the reader is referred to the Third 
ffeport of the United States Entomological Commission (pp. 183-188). 

Prochcerodes nubilata Pack. — This is a second kind of span-worm 
that sometimes occurs in destructive numbers on the cultivated Eng- 
lish walnut in southern California. It does not confine its attacks to 
this tree, however, as I have frequently found it upon apple and 
willow J but it appears to x)refer the English walnut to any other tree. 
This span-worm is considerably flattened, and during the day time 
remains at rest in a crevice or other irregularity in the bark of the 
tree, and being of nearly the same color as the bark its presence is not 
easy to detect. In this respect it closely resembles the cateri)illars of 
the red underwinged moths {Catocala), but is readily distinguishable 
by possessing only two, instead of eight, abdominal prolegs. 

This span-worm has the same general appearance of the walnut 
span-worm referred to above, except that the tubercles or piliferous. 
spots on various parts of the body are of neaily a uniform size, whereas 
in the latter some of those on segments 4, 5, 6, and 11 are much larger 
than the others. 

When jarred from their perch these span-worms, in common with the 
other members of this group, spin a silken thread, by means of which 
they remain suspended in the air. I have never observed them assume 
a rigid attitude, attached to some object by the four posterior prolegs 
alone, a habit so common in related forms. Instead they rest with the 
body closely appressed to the bark of the tree. 

The eggs from which these s])an-worms hatch are deposited singly, 
being attached at one of their sides. The j'oung span-worm, in issuing 
from the egg, makes its escape through a circular opening in the flat- 
tened end. The full-grown span-worm secretes itself in crevices on tlie 
tree, usually beneath a loose piece of i^rojecting bark; here it spins a 
thin cocoon, and shortly afterwards assumes the chrysalis form. 

My notes indicate that at least three broods of these insects are pro- 
duced in one year; the winter is passed in the larva state, and the 



2'4- REPORTS OF OBSERVATIONS AND EXPERIMENTS. 

motlis from these issue duriug the month of April. A second brood 
issues in August, while the third and last brood of the season makes 
its appearance in November and during the first half of December. 

Both sexes are winged and it would therefore be quite useless to place 
obstructions around the trunks of the trees, as is sometimes practiced 
in dealing with those kinds of span-worms which are wingless in the 
female sex j moreover, as already stated above, the larvai of the present 
species assume the chrysalis form on the tree instead of entering the 
earth, and this habit of itself renders the above-mentioned method 
entirely useless in dealing with this species. 

Whenever these span-worms appear in destructive numbers, about 
the only practical remedy we are able to suggest is to spray the infested 
trees with Paris-green solution, composed of one pound of Paris green 
thoroughly stirred into 200 gallons of water. If a small quantity of 
soap is added to the solution this will cause it to spread more evenly 
over the tree. It should be borne in mind that a very small quantity 
of this poison will prove fatal to the recently-hatched span-worms, 
whereas the nearly full-grown ones will be able to withstand a much 
larger quantity of the poison. Hence the importance of applying the 
poison while the span-worms are still very young. 

The. Orange Lea f -roller [Tortrix citranaFevn). — This is a small, greenish 
caterpillar that ordinarily lives in a rolled or folded leaf, upon which it 
feeds, but it also has a habit of burrowing into the green oranges, caus- 
ing them to turn prematurely yellow and finally to drop from the tree. 
I first obtained specimens of this insect on the 6th of May, 1885, and 
since that time have occasionally met with it, although never in large 
numbers. Last season, however, it appears to have been quite plentiful, 
judging from the number of letters received asking for information con- 
cerning it. 

Although ordinarily met with upon orange trees, I have also found 
this leaf- roller upon ai)ricot, willow, oak {Querents rtf/n/b/frt), wild wal- 
nut {Juf/lans californica), and golden-rod {Solidago californica). 

The larv<e which live in the oranges desert their burrows and creep 
into some sheltered place when about to pass through their transforma- 
tions, but those which live in rolled or folded leaves assume the 
chrysalis form within such leaves. 

The time passed in the chrysalis state varies greatly according to 
the season of the year; my notes show that five of Uie chrysalides 
remained in this state 9, 11, 11, 12, and 19 days, respectively. There 
are doubtless four or five generations each year. I have found this 
insect in some stage of its growth during the months of January, March, 
April, May, June, and September, but it is most abundant in early 
summer. The species was described by Prof. 0. H. Fernald, in Entomo- 
logica Americana (vol. v, p. 18), from specimens bred by the writer. 

Two different kinds of internal parasites are knoun to me to attack 
this insect. The first of these is a small, black, four-winged fly belong- 
ing to the Microgastriu£e. The larva of this parasite when full-grown 



REPOKTS OF OBSERVATIONS AND EXPERIMENTS. 25 

issues from the caterpillar of the Tortrix and spins a compact, \yliite, 
elongate-ellipsoidal cocoon measuring nearly 6 millimeters in length. 
When about to issue, tLe i)arasitic fly cuts a circular lid out of one end 
of its cocoon, from wliicli to make its escape. 

The second kind of parasite, of which I bred only a single specimen, 
is a small, grayish black, two- winged fly belonging to the family 
Tachinidai and apparently to the genus Phorocera, but the species is 
probably as yet undescribed. 

Should the orange leaf- rollers ever appear in destructive numbers, I 
know of no more effective remedy to use for their destruction than that 
of spraying the trees with Paris green and water at the rate of 1 
pound of the Paris green to 200 gallons of water. I have used this 
preparation on orange trees without in the least injuring the trees upon 
which it was sprayed. 

It is quite impossible to ascertain to what country this species is 
native, thongh I strongly suspect that it Avas imported into California 
from some of the Pacific Islands. It is interesting in this connection to 
note that in his ]S"arrative of an Exploring Expedition (vol. iii^ p. 13) 
Capt. Charles Wilkes states that the oranges grown upon one of the 
Friendly Islands " do not succeed because they are injured by an insect 
which leaves its larva on the fruit, and causes it to fall before it reaches 
maturity." While this description tallies fairly well with the present 
species, there is also a possibility that this reference is to a dipterous 
larva belong to the family Trypetida^, two species of which are known 
to attack oranges in this manner. 

The Brassy Culicorm {Tceniocampa riifuIaGvote). — On the Gth of June, 
1888, I received a package of green apples, pears, and j^eaches from 
Mr. C. E. Johnson, of Pomona, Cal. The apples and pears had large 
cavities eaten into them, exteuding sometimes to the core, and nearly 
buried in one of the peaches was a naked caterpillar having the gen- 
eral appearance of an ordinary cutworm. The apples and pears were 
from three-quarters of an inch to an inch in diameter, and the peaches 
were somewhat larger. 

Accompanying this package was the following letter: 

I mail samiiles of the worm referred to iu the Pomona Times, of which you make 
inquiry in your letter received today ; also some fruit samples upon which they 
worked; viz, apple, pear, peach, and apricot. I found it difficult to get any of the 
worms ; since the sun has been shining and the weather warmer they have almost 
entirely disappeared. I have not been able to learn of any very serious damage to 
the fruit in our immediate neighborhood. I think they would have destroyed the 
small amount that I have, but I went around each tree, and inside of a circle of about 
12 inches in diameter, just at the roots, I dug out from 15 to 40 worms to each tree. 

The Rev. J. F. Moody, of this place, tells me today that in his neighborhood he 
noticed that qixite a large hole had been dug around each tree by the chickens, which 
I think destroyed the worms. A lady in the southern part of this city says that one 
of her neighbors has found some prunes with the inside eaten out by a worm of the 
same descrijitiou as the one I send you. 

During the cool, cloudy weather they could be found up in the trees throughout 
the day, and they destroyed flowers and small shrubbery. 



26 REPORTS OF OBSERVATIONS AND EXPERIMENTS. 

This cateri)illar has a polished appearance, and in certain lights 
shows a slight brassy reflection. When first exhumed from beneath 
dead leaves or other litter, it feigns death, but soon makes its escape 
by crawling beneath some object, its movements being quite rapid. It 
pupates within a small cell in the earth. 

There are two well-marked broods of these caterpillars each year. 
The first brood pupates in January and February and the moths issue 
about six weeks later. The caterpillars of the second brood assume 
the chrysalis state in the months of June and July and are changed to 
moths from the first week in September to the middle of October. 

It is very probable that the food of the caterpillars of this moth 
ordinarily consists of the leaves of various kinds of weeds, and that 
their fondness for green fruit has only recently been acquired. I have 
repeatedly found them beneath stones, dead weeds, and other litter 
lying upon the ground, and on the 9th of June, 1888, I found forty five 
of these caterpillars beneath dead weeds lying upon the ground under 
some orange trees in the city of Los Angeles. 

Up to the present time this species has been reported only from Cal- 
ifornia. 

Associated with these caterpillars were the following predaccous 
beetles, which doubtless prey upon them: Calosoyna pere<jrinator, Cala- 
thiis ruJicoUiSy Platymis maculicollis, Pferostichus vicinus, Amara cali- 
^ornica, and Amara siupida. With two exceptions all of these beetles 
when exliumed endeavored to hide themselves again, but the Calosoma 
and Amara stujnda ^voiild nearly always start up the trunk of the 
nearest tree. In the mouth of May of the present year I saw an allied 
species, Calosoma latipenne, engaged in feeding upon a caterpillar of 
Agrotis saucia. Indeed, this habit is so prevalent among the different 
species of Calosoma that they are called " caterpillar hunters." 

The cateriiillars above described are but little subject to the attacks 
of internal parasites. I have bred but a single specimen from a large 
series of caterpillars placed in my breeding cages from time to time. 
The parasite referred to is alargeTachinafly, which issued on the 29th 
of July, 1888. It apparently belongs to the genus Eucnephalia. 

As to a remedy, the one practiced by Mr. Johnson, of exhuming the 
caterpillars and then destroying them, is perhaps the most effectual 
that could be adopted. If it should be proved that these caterpilhirs 
will feed readily upon green alfalfa or upon weeds of any kind, quanti- 
ties of these could be gathered and pressed into balls, which could then 
be soaked in a strong solution of Paris green and water and placed 
upon the ground beneath the trees; the caterpillars by feeding upon 
these poisoned balls would thus be destroyed. Trees might be pro- 
tected from the attacks of these insects by placing around the trunk 
of each tree a collar of smooth tin or other obstruction over which the 
cater j)illars v^ould not make their way. The custom of allowing chick- 
ens the run of the orchard before the fruit ripens will also result in 



REPORTS OF OBSERVATIONS AND EXPERIMENTS. 27 

great benefit, since these useful fowls will succeed in digging up and 
destroying large numbers of these and other noxious insects. 

While on the subject of caterpillars injuring green fruits, I may add 
that the well-known corn ear-worm {Heliothis armiger) sometimes eats 
out the interior of green peaches. On the 14th of June of the present 
year, ^l\\ G. A. Compere, of Los Angeles, handed me a green jieach 
containing a caterpillar of this kind that had hollowed out the entire 
interior of the peach. I removed it from its habitation and offered it 
a fresh, half-grown i^each, into which it at once began to gnaw an 
entrance. This caterpillar pupated during the latter part of June, and 
the moth issued on the 25th of July. 

As also bearing ui^on this subject I may add that on the 13th of 
September, 1891, 1 received from Mr. F. G. Eyau a green orange about 
three-quarters of an inch in diameter, in which were two holes extend- 
ing quite to the center of the orange, and in one of them was a halt 
grown corn ear-worm, busily engaged in feeding upon the interior 
portion of the orange. This is the iirst instance that has come to my 
notice of this insect attacking oranges, although I have occasionally 
seen it feeding upon orange leaves. 

Tent Caterpillars. — During the latter part of April, 1892, while inves- 
tigating the leafeating caterpillars occurring in the orchards of 
Alameda and Santa Clara counties, I found quite a large number of 
colonies of a thinly hairy caterpillar wliich, by rearing to the jjer- 
fect state, was identified by Dr. Eiley as Clisiocampa thoracica Stretch. 

The moths appear during the month of June, and shortly afterward 
deposit their eggs upon the smaller twigs of the trees on the leaves of 
which the caterpillars are to feed. The eggs are deposited upon one 
end in an irregular band comi)]etely encircling the twig and measuring 
from 5 to 9™™. in width, each cluster containing upward of 250 eggs. 
These are arranged somewhat spirally, and are partially covered over 
with a brown substance resembling glue; but this does not entirely 
conceal the eggs. They do not hatch until the following April. 

Shortly after issuing from the egg the young caterpillars proceed to 
spin over them a silken web or tent, and in this tent they pass the 
greater portion of their time when not engaged in feeding. Before 
attaining their full size they desert their tent and live exposed upon 
the tree, but still keep together in companies, and during the warmer 
portion of the day may frequently be seen huddled together upon one 
side of the trunk of the tree. I have found colonies of these caterpil- 
lars on cherry, plum, prune, and willow, and they fed indiscriminately 
upon the leaves of each of these trees. The caterpillars from the dif- 
ferent trees were indistinguishable, as were also the moths into which 
they were finally transformed. On one occasion I saw a nearly full- 
grown caterpillar of this species feeding upon the leaf of the common 
nettle ( Z7r<ic« holosericea). This was growing beneath a willow tree, 
and the caterpillar had evidently fed upon the leaves of the latter 
until dislodged by accident. 



28 REPORTS OF OBSERVATIONS AND EXPERIMENTS. 

"Wlieu fall grown, these caterpillars crawl into some sheltered place 
aud spin their thin, pnre white cocoons. The cocoon proper measures 
from 18 to 20""". in leugtl), and the width is about two-fifths of the 
length. It is thinly sprinkled with a yellow powder, aud around it is 
spun quite a large quantity of fine, soft, white silk. About four weeks 
ehipse between the spinning of the cocoons and the issuing of the 
moths, the latter issuing at various hours of the day, from 9 o'clock in 
the morning to 5 o'clock in the afternoon. The sexes appear to be quite 
evenly divided; out of a total of 27 moths w^hich I reared, 15 were 
males and 12 females. 

I did not succeed in breeding internal parasites of any kind from 
these caterpillars, but they evidently do not altogether escape the 
attacks of such parasites, since I found two of the caterpillars each of 
which had a white egg of some kind of Tachina fly attached to its 
head. This parasite, however, appears to be very rare. Out of a total 
of 350 of these caterpillars which I examined the two mentioned above 
were the only ones showing any indication of its attacks; and from 
about 300 reared not a single parasite made its appearance. 

As stated above, the young caterpillars spin a silken web or tent in 
which to dwell, and as this is a very conspicuous object, their presence 
upon the trees may be easily detected aud the web with its entire con- 
tents may then be removed from the tree and burned, or destroyed in 
some other manner. Later in the season, when the nearly full-grown 
caterpillars are congregated upon the trunk of the tree they may be 
destroyed by wrapping a bailey sack tightly around the trunk of the 
tree Avhere they are located, thus crushing them. The method first 
mentioned is greatl^^ to be preferred, since the white webs of the young 
caterpillars are much easier to discover than are the caterpillars them- 
selves, and of course it is far bettor to destroy them at this time than 
to wait until they have committed all the injury to the trees that they 
are capable of doing. 

In a certain locality in Alameda County I found a second species 
of tent-caterpillar upon cultivated gooseberries, and in a neighboring 
canyon this same sjaecies occurred in large numbers upon wild black- 
berry {Ruhns vitifolUis) and also upon willow. It is readily distin- 
guished from the one described above by the velvet-black color of 
its body which is marked with a series of indistinct dull orange yellow 
dashes that sometimes form two more or less distinct dorsal lines and a 
lateral line; on either side of each of the segments from the second to 
the eleventh is a transverse, bluish-gray subdorsal spot; the spiracles 
aud venter are wholly black; the body is thinly clothed with reddish 
hairs which are most abundant on the back and low down on each side 
of the body; the head is opaque black, the clypeus gray and bordered 
below with yellow. The full-grown caterpillar measures about 35°''" 
in length. The cocoon resembles that of the preceding species but is 
somewhat darker aud more dense, the yellow powder is more abundant, 



REPORTS OF OBSERVATIONS AND EXPERIMENTS. 29 

and the loose, fiue, soft silk si)uii about the cocooq is less in quantity. 
The cocoons are spun in May, and the moths issue in the hitter part ol 
that month and during the month of June. The two sexes are so dis- 
similar in color that they might readily be supposed to belong to two 
distinct species. The males are of a reddish brown ground color, while 
in the females the color is a light, ocher yellow. The moths issue at 
almost every hour of the day and night, and the sexes are evenly dis- 
tributed. This species is CUsiocamiKi californica Pack. 

I found but a single cluster of eggs of this species, but these had 
already hatched and near them was the silken tent and colony of 
young caterpillars that had issued from these eggs. This cluster was 
attached to a small twig of a willow tree; it measures 16"^™ in length 
and reaches only two-thirds of the distance around the twig. The eggs 
number about 150 and are arranged in irregular oblique rows; they are 
thinly covered with a substance somewhat resembling glue, which on 
one- half of the cluster completely conceals the eggs from view. 

As in the preceding species, the young cateriiillars sx)in a silken web 
or tent in which to live, but after becoming about half grown they 
desert this and lead a wandering life; they do not appear to possess the 
habit of congregating together when not feeding, which is such a char- 
acteristic trait of the preceding species. Besides the food-plants men- 
tioned above, Mr. Henry Edwards states that these caterpillars also feed 
upon the leaves of the apple, pear, oak [Quercus agrifoUa)^ ash {Fraxi- 
nus oregona), buckeye {J^sculus californica), California holly [Hetero- 
meles arbutifoJia), and Madroiie {Arbutus menziesii). (See Fifth Eeport 
U. S. Entomological Commission, p. 119). 

Three different kinds of internal parasites are known to me to attack 
these caterpillars. On the 17th of May, 1892, a larva of a Tachina fly 
issued from one of them and soon afterward pui^ated. On the 9th of 
May a Larva of an Ichneumon fly spun its cocoon within the body of a 
one-third grown caterpillar in which it had lived, causing the body of 
the caterpillar to swell out and burst ox^en on the underside, the cocoon 
as spun protruding through this opening and fastening the body of the 
caterpillar to the surface upon which it rested; the winged i)arasite 
issued ten days later, and has been identified by Dr. Eiley as Limneria 
fugitiva Say. This parasite has not previously been reported as occur- 
ring west of Missouri, where Dr. Eiley bred it from the larvic of four 
different kinds of moths, including the forest tent-caterpillar {Clisio- 
campa disstria Hiibu.). (See Insect Life, vol. iii, p. 157). 

The third parasite referred to issued on the 2Sth of May. It belongs 
to the family Braconidae and to the genus Eliogas. 

The above two were the only species of Clisiocampa that I found in 
the orchards of Alameda and Santa Clara counties. Neither of these 
occurs in southern California, so far as I am aware, but a third species, 
Clisiocampa constricta Stretch, is not rare in certain parts of Los 
Angeles County, where the caterpillars feed upon the leaves of an ever- 



30 EEPORTS OF OBSERVATIONS AND EXPERIMENTS. 

green oak, Quercus agrifoUa. Tliese caterpillars are not common in the 
valleys, but along- the mountain sides tbey are sometimes verj^ abun- 
dant, and 1 have found tliem at an elevation of nearly 5,000 feet. So 
far as at present known, they attack only the various kinds of oak. 

So far as I have observed, these caterpillars do not spin a web or 
tent in which to live at any period of their lives. The cocoon is of a 
pure white color, and the powder with which its meshes arc partially 
tilled is also white, and not yellow, as in the two preceding species. 
The loose silk spun about the cocoon is scant, and is much coarser and 
stiiier than that of the preceding si)ecies. The cocoons are spun in 
May and June, and the moths issue in June and July. Two male and 
four female moths which I bred all issued from the chrysalis after 5 
o'clock in the afternoon. 

Three different kinds of internal parasites are known to me to attack 
the caterpillars of this Clisiocampa. On the 5th of July, 1891, two 
Tachiiia flies issued from some of these caterpillars in one of my breed- 
ing cages; these flies are known as Maslcera frenchii Will., hitherto 
reported only fi:om Maine, where it attacks the larvae, or chrysalides, 
of a large butterfly, Papilio turnus var. glaucus. Under a high i)ower 
the eyes of this parasite are seen to have a few microscopic hairs. 
Heretofore it has not been reported west of Colorado. I have bred a 
closely related species, Masicera arcMppivora Eiley, from the chrysa- 
lides of two kinds of butterflies, Pyramcis cardui and P. caryce. 

A single specimen of a second kind of Tachina fly was bred in July, 
1892, from a caterpillar of the above Clisiocamiia by Dr. A. Davidson, 
of Los Angeles, to whom I am indebted for this specimen. It issued 
from the caterpillar after the latter had spun its cocoon, but before 
the change to the chrysalis had taken place. 

The third kind of internal parasite which attacks the caterpillar of 
tbis Clisiocampa belongs to the family Ichneumonidi^?, and has been 
identified as Fimpla inquisitor Say. In the month of June, 1887, six 
larvae of this parasite issued from one of these caterpillars after the lat- 
ter had spun its cocoon, and spun their white cocoons within that? of 
their host; the winged parasites issued during the following autumn. 
This parasite is very widely distributed, being found as far eastward as 
Washington, D. 0. It infests a great variety of caterpillars and has 
also been bred from larv«i found feeding upon the eggs of spiders. On 
the 26th of Ajml, 1892, Dr. Davidson bred five specimens of this Pim- 
pla from some egg-mass, s of the spider, Epeira anguJata Clerck. 

AESENIUEETED AND SULPHUEETED HYDEOGEN AS INSECTICIDES. 

Kot being entirely satisfied with my experiments with these two 
gases in the i)ast, and wishing to test arseniureted hydrogen pro- 
duced in a different manner than previously employed by me, with 
a view of discovering a cheaper gas than hydrocyanic acid to be used 
for the destruction of scale-insects on citrus trees, etc., I decided to 



REPORTS OF OBSERVATIONS AND EXPERIMENTS. 31 

make a series of experiments with these two gases. Accordingly, during 
the mouths of March and April of 1893, I carried out such a series of 
experiments, the results of which but confirm my previous statements 
to the effect that both in regard to the expense and effectiveness 
hj'drocyauic-acid gas is preferable to either of the two gases men- 
tioned above. 

For the j)roduction of sulphureted hydrogen I used iron sulphide 
(FeS), commercial sulphuric acid (H2SO4), and water. The iron 
sulphide was obtained for 20 cents per pound, and requires about the 
same quantity of sulphuric acid and water that potassium cyanide 
requires in the production of hydrocyanic-acid gas. The sulphide was 
partially pulverized, and none of the pieces were over one-eighth of an 
inch in diameter. When the acid was added to the sulphide, no action 
took place, but as soon as the water was added, quite brisk action at 
once began, with evolution of the ill-smelling gas. The action of the 
acid and water upon the sulphide was very much slower than their 
action upon jjotassium cyanide, even when the latter is used in large 
pieces. The tests were made during the month of March, from about 
9 :30 o'clock in the forenoon to about noon of different days, when the 
weather was comparatively cool. 

When used so strong that its cost about equaled that of potassium 
cyanide used for the purpose of generating hydrocyanic-acid gas, the 
resulting suli^hureted hydrogen was fatal to a very small percentage 
of the insects {Lecanium hesperidum and L. olecv) on the orange trees 
experimented upon, and the leaves upon these trees were not injured 
by the gas. Here I used about three times as large a quantity of the 
sulphide as would have been required of the cj^anide to destroy all the 
insects of the tree, but it was scarcely one tenth as effectual as the lat- 
ter, and I therefore considered it would be quite useless to continue 
experimenting further with the iron sulphide. 

I had in previous years generated arseniureted hydrogen by acting 
upon small pieces of sheet zinc with commercial sulphuric acid in the 
presence of an aqueous solution of white arsenic (AS2O3), but as this 
is a somewhat imperfect method 1 decided to test the method of gen. 
crating this gas by acting with water and sulphuric acid upon zinc 
arsenide (AS2Zn3). Failing to obtain the last-mentioned substance at 
any point on the Pacific coast, I was under the necessity of having it 
manufactured expressly for my use. Accordingly I made the neces- 
sary arrangements with Wade & Wade, manufacturing chemists of 
Los Angeles, Cal. The arsenide is manufactured from metallic zinc 
and arsenic, one and three-tenths parts of the former being used to one 
of the latter. The price of metallic arsenic in San Francisco, is 50 
cents per pound, and of granulated zinc, CO cents. The two metals 
in the proportion above given were placed in a crucible along with a 
small fjUantity of powdered charcoal, and the crucible closed and sub- 
jected to the heat of an assayer's furnace for a space of about twenty 



32 REPORTS OF OBSERVATIONS AND EXPERIMENTS. 

minutes, after which it was removed from the furnace aud allowed to 
cool. The resulting arsenide was very brittle, aud iDulverized readily. 

Eveu wheu the arsenide was used in such large quantities that its 
cost was three times as great as that of jiotassium cyanide used in 
sufficient quantity to destroy all the insects on the tree, it proved fatal 
to only about two-thirds of the scale-insects (iecaw^wm hesperidum and 
L. olew) on the lower portion of the tree, while those on the upper por- 
tion escaped unharmed j the tree operated upon was less than live 
feet in height, and was not appreciably afi'ected by the gas. The latter 
was confined upon the tree for a space of a full hour, and yet, owing 
to the great specific gravity of the gas, it did not become thoroughly dif- 
fused throughout the space inclosed by the tent. Owing to this char- 
acteristic of arseniureted hydrogen, aud the further fact of its being 
more expensive than hydrocyanic-acid gas, there is nothing to recom- 
mend it over the last-named gas. 

These experiments indicate that for the destruction of insects on 
trees hydrocyanic-acid gas is much cheaper than either arseniureted 
hydrogen or sulphurated hydrogen. 



REPOET ON ENTOMOLOGICAL WORK IN OREGON AND 
CALIFORNIA; NOTES ON AUSTRALIAN IMPORTA- 
TIONS. 



By Albert Koebkle, Special Agent. 



LETTER OF SUBMITTAL. 

Alameda, Cal., NovemlerS, 1893. 
Sir : I here\Yith submit to you my report of observations during the year. Si^ecial 
reports on work done in Oregon and Washington upon Phorodon humuli Schrauk., and 
on the investigation of the condition of predaceous insects sent from Australia dur- 
ing my last trip to that country, have been made and forwarded to you. I shall here 
mention only certain additional facts connected with the same and note some other 
observations made. 

* Respectfully, j^ours, 

Albert Koebele. 
C. V. Eiley, 

U. S. Entomolo<jist. 



The hop louse, as could plainly be noticed during spring, has not been 
so numerous during thepresent season in Oregon and Washington, owing 
to the increase of insects living upon it, as shown by the interesting 
letter of September 16, 1893, from Mr. H. J, Miller, of Aurora, Oregon, 
as follows: 

* * * The hop crop is very light, owing to cold rains in the spring and then 
continual dry weather. In the spring when the lice emigrated to the hop the weather 
was cold and rainy, and I noticed that the lice on the vines would turn white and 
sickly and finally die. No spraying was done, as it was not necessary in this vicin- 
ity. A few lice survived the cold weather, and just before picking time the weather 
turned sultry, cloudy, and rainy, favorable for development of lice, and it could bo 
noticed that they increased very fast; but picking time was too close at hand for 
them to do any damage. 

As to collecting the lice from the plum trees, I have great faith in it, but to make 
it successful, farmers for miles around should closely inspect their trees and free them 
from vermin. One hop yard seemed to be infested as much as any of those of our 
neighbors, but as some of our nearest neighbors had plum trees and did not clean 
them, I am sure some of the lice emigrated from their trees to our yard, for they must 
be able to travel long distances. The ladybirds increased for a while in the spring, 
but as the summer advanced they began to dwindle away, and at picking time were 
getting scarce. * * * 

1493— Bull. 32 3 33 



34 KEPUKTS OF OBSERVATIONS AND EXPERIMENTS. 

A fungous disease appears to liave destroyed large numbers during 
the early vsuiiuner. It was only at picking time that the lice became 
numerous, and in consequence the coming season may again show au 
increase. As already mentioned, the importance of an early warfare 
against the hop louse can not be overestimated. Spraying and hand- 
picking should be practiced njion all the xdum and prune trees during 
the autumn and early spring. 

Since the season has been so backward it is not possible for me to 
give a list of the most efficient enemies of the hop louse, viz, the 
S3'ri)hid flies, and but few of these were observed during my work. 
Coccinellidae, however, could be seen by the thousands during early 
spring. I give a list of those met with in the yards, with notes thereon. 

Notes on Ladybirds found in Mop Yards. — The largest number at ere of 
the genus Hippodamia, and it is a difficult matter even for an expert to 
define the species when seeing large numbers together. Hippodamia 
convergens Guer. and H. amhigua Lee. were the most numerous in the 
hop yards during the early spring and were preying upon various- 
Ai^hidids infesting weeds. After devouring all these, they, as well as 
all other species, left in all directions and could be found almost any- 
where where plant-lice existed. As observed, these insects will also 
X)rey upon Lecanium in its young stages after the most of the Aphidids 
have disappeared. H. 13-punctata has been but rarely met with. * H. 
spuria Lee. and H. parenthesis Say were more numerous and always 
upon x)lant-lice. CoccineUa annectans Crotch is a rare insect that feeds 
upon Aphidids as well as upon the young of Lecanium. CoccineUa 
trifasciata Linn, is an abundant ladybird that is found feeding any- 
where upon plant-lice, and as these become rare Avith the advance 
of the season, it readily feeds upon bark-lice. C. transversoguttata 
Fab. is one of the largest of this group and was also found in numbers 
in the hop yards as long as the x:>lant-lice upon which it preys existed. 
The first eggs of any found amongst hop vines belonged to this species. 
This was before the yards were plowed, which will destroy nearly, if 
not all, the early stages of these valuable insects. Cycloneda sangninea 
Linn, is a very common ladybird and one of the most active in hunting 
uj) the solitary Aphidids. Many colonies of the hop louse under 
observation on plum and prune trees were entirely cleaned out by this 
beetle and often in a single day. In order to get at the proper results 
of the experiments it often becomes necessary to cover the lice treated 
with netting on account of this insect. Adalia hipunctata Linn, is only 
occasioimlly found. I have bred the same from larvae feeding upon an 
Aphidid infesting OratiEgus at Sisson, Cal. It has also been found near 
Alameda, uiwn orange trees infested with Lecanium. 

A. humeralis Say was found feeding upon plant-lice in Oregon and in 
California. I found it more often upon plants infested with black 
scale. A very common and variable ladybird is Harmonia picta 
Kand.^ Avhich is met with occasionally feeding upon plant-lice. The 



REPORTS OF OBSERVATIONS AND EXPERIMENTS. 35 

pine and fir trees iu Oregon wliicli are infested with Kermes are alive 
with this beetle, and the same may be said of the Monterey pine 
infested with Lecauium, upon which this insect preys. H. 12-maculata 
Gebl. has been but rarely found in Oregon feeding on plant-lice. 

Our largest Coccinellidae, Mysia and Anatis, are also aphis-feeding 
insects, yet they are but rarely met, with since they live upon high 
coniferous trees infested with Lachnus. In warm days during early 
spring they were often found coming out from their winter quarters, 
out of old stumps, from behind bark of trees, etc. Amongst the conif- 
erous trees, Mysia Jiornii Or., Anatis 15-punctata Oliv., A. rathvoni 
Lee. and A. subvittata, Muls., were met with. 

Psyllohora 20-maculata Say is found nearly everywhere, yet I can say 
nothing in regard to its value as an aphis-feeder. It can be found in 
large numbers and in all stages feeding upon the powdery mildew 
( Uncinida spiralis B, & C.) upon our grape-vines and no doubt ui^ou the 
mildew of other plants as well. 

Our smallest Coccinellidse, the Scymnids, are chiefly found to be 
Coccid-feeding insects, yet Scijmnus nebulosus Lee. can be considered a 
valuable agent in destroyirg the hop louse. In one instance this 
beetle destroyed a colony that had been established upon a vine for 
about three weeks. Scymnus sp. near tenehrosns Muls. is occasionally 
found upon the hop louse, also in large numbers feeding upon Kermes 
on fir trees. 

Some Oregon Fruit Insects. — One of the most abundant and injurious 
insects to fruit buds in Oregon is Syneta albida Lee. I noticed that a 
great part of the buds and blossoms on prune and plum trees were 
eaten out, and it was not long before this beetle could be observed 
doing the mischief. So numerous were they that along the edge of a 
fir forest, upon plum trees, from fifty to one hundred could be shaken 
off of every tree. Owing to its pale color, this beetle is not easily 
noticed among the blossoms where it hides itself, yet it can easily be 
shaken off. 

A Tortricid larva that eats into and destroys a large part of the cur- 
rant berries was observed in Oregon. The green as well as the ripe 
fruit is attacked by the larva that lives in a web among the berries. 

Garpocapsa pomonella has become very numerous and destrnctive iu 
that State, and as with nearly all newly introduced insects, its work 
will be very seriously felt for a few years to come, until some natural 
enemies will acquire the habit of feeding upon it. The enemies of this 
insect are already many. During the present season I have bred this 
noth from cherries. 

In Australia I have bred many species of Oscinids from larvae prey, 
ing both upon Coccidaj and Aphididse. After my return to Alameda 
a similar larva was found preying ujDon a small Aphidid that infests 
Physianthus alba. During the autumn of 1892 six of these larvae were 
placed in a vial and fi"om these three parasites were bred this spring. 



36 REPORTS OF OBSERVATIONS AND EXPERIMENTS. 

During July oftbe present year these larvse were again very numerous, 
as well as tlie mature flies upon the same plant, and many were bred 
from larvse inclosed. While the larvae of these flies prey upon all 
sorts of Aphidids in Australia and are frequently found upon those 
on orange and corn, this is the first time that I have observed them in 
California. 

During July of 1891 many of the eggs of Selandria cerasi examined 
upon young pear trees were found to be infested with a parasite, while 
others showed holes from which parasites had issued. 

Xotes on an introduced Australian Ladybird. — Since reporting upon 
the recently introduced BMzohius ventralis Gr. I have made further 
notes which may be of interest. A colony of these beetles received 
from Hon. Ellwood Cooper and liberated by Mr. S. F. Leib, of San Jose, 
upon Lecanium olece infesting prune trees July 23, 1893, were examined 
August 23 of that year, and numerous half-grown larvse were found. On 
looking over the same trees September 22, only a few grown larvi© could 
be found, yet jjupai were numerous. At my own place a few of tlie 
mature insects were liberated upon Physianthns alba infested with L. 
olew August 21. Grown larvse were here observed October 6, and on 
the 17th of the same month many pupse were present. One of the 
females liberated upon this plant August 21 was still present and lay- 
ing eggs. The same conditions were found at two other places in Ala- 
meda where this insect had been colonized upon black scales. As this 
Ehizobius will breed during the entire year, fully six broods can be 
expected in the southern part of the State. The mother beetle will 
deposit her eggs under the older Coccids in numbers. Often an entire 
scale is found completely filled with the eggs of the Ehizobius. After 
the young larvse issue they remain under the scales and devour eggs 
and Coccids before leaving. The plants may be full of young larvse, yet 
these are seldom seen, since they most always remain under the older 
scales and feed upon the contents. As they become larger they can 
occasionally be noticed walking around while feeding, yet are found 
more numerous hidden away between curled-up leaves and even 
among spider webs, where many pupate. If liberated upon any bush 
or tree iufested with Lecanium, a gravid female will at once begin to 
oviposit, and will not leave the plant as long as there is sufiBcient food 
for the ofl'spring. 

While looking over a lemon tree infested with Lecanium olew and L. 
hesperidum, upon which this Ehizobius had been liberated August 21, 1 
was agreeably surprised, not only in finding large numbers of the same 
in all stages, but also B. debilis Black, that had been liberated in my 
yard upon Aspidiotus perniciosus by Mr. Craw during May of 1892. 
The tree meutioned is about one-half mile distant from the original spot, 
where the same insect can still be found. 



NOTES OX THE INSECTS OF MISSOURI FOR 189;; 



By Mary E. Murtfeldt, Temporary Field Agent. 



LETTER OF SUBMITTAL. 

KiKKWOODj Mo., IVovemlei' 22, 1S93. 
Sir: I inlose lierewith my account of the more consj)icuous of the injurious insects 
observed in Missouri during tlie past season. As in previous years, my grateful 
acknowledgments are due to you for many determinations. 
Very respectfully, 

Mary E. Murtfeldt. 
Dr. C. V. Riley, 

U.S. Entomologist, 



Among the entomological developments of the earlier part of the cur- 
rent year may be noted the appearance of the army worm {Leucania 
unipuncta), in such numbers as to justify its appellation, in hay and 
grain fields contiguous to streams and lowlands, where it caused con- 
siderable loss. It also occurred in large numbers together with other 
cut-worms in vegetable gardens as well as on the lawns and meadows 
of St. Louis County, and was frequently brought or seutto me as a dep- 
redator upon vegetables. So far as it came under my personal obser- 
vation, however, when found in gardens, it was merely feeding upon 
the grasses that had come up among the other plants. The moths 
were unusually abundant during September. 

During the latter part of the season there was an unusual outbreak 
of our indigenous locusts (grasshoppers). The meadows, gardens, 
berry beds, nurseries, and young orchards were seriously ravaged by 
these pests. The species most abundant were Schistoeerca americana, 
(Edipoda sulpliurea^ (E. xanthoptera, Melanoplus hivittatus, and the omni- 
present M. femur -ruhrum. In some of the nurseries and newly set 
orchards of St. Louis County not a leaf was left entire on apple, pear, 
and plum trees, and the tender twigs were also in many instances com- 
pletely barked, thus destroying the season's grow^th. Spraying with 
Paris green was resorted to by numbers of nurserymen, and, in a meas- 
ure, protected the stock from premature defoliation. So far as I can 
learn the hopper-dozer is not extensively, if at all, used in Missouri, and, 
indeed, on the hilly and uneven .surface of the greater part of the State 
it coukl not be employed to miicb advantage. 

37 



3S REPORTS OF OBSERVATIONS AND EXPERIMENTS. 

Among' orchardists tliere was, in the spring, great complaint of the 
work of the bnffiilo tree-hopper {Ceresa huhaliis). Bundles of scarred 
and blighted twigs were sent to me from many sections of the State, 
iucluding- the Olden fruit farms, in Howell County, the most extensive 
in the country, and the Flint Hill orchards, in Oregon County, both on 
the southern boundary of the State; from Kansas City on the west, and 
from Holt County in the extreme northwest, showing that the insect is 
by no means local. A considerable proportion of these twigs showed 
the cuts of several previous years, as well as the more characteristic 
recent punctures. From this it would seem that the insect remains in 
the neighborhood of its breeding place until the languishing branch or 
tree no longer affords it sustenance. Like all haustellate species it 
can be exterminated only by such insecticides as kill by contact, such as 
kerosene emulsion, thymo-cresol, and preparations of carbolic acid; 
and the use of these on the tender foliage, amid which the little spiuy- 
backed hoppers lurk in the early summer, is apt to have a bad effect. 
From eggs placed the preceding autumn was bred in considerable num- 
bers a minute e,gg parasite, which proved to be an undescribed species 
of Cosmocoma. This little tly had destroyed the larger proportion of 
the eggs sent to me, and may in time render its host innocuous. The 
tree-hopper is quite common in the vicinity of St. Louis, but no con- 
spicuous injury from it has come under my observation. 

A leaf-hopper, Ormenis pruinosa, was remarkably abundant in vine- 
yards, where it was popularly mistaken for '' mealy bug," and caused 
considerable blighting of leaves and twigs. An interesting parasite, 
which attacks the full grown larvae and pupte, inclosing them with 
itself in a convex disk composed of two mica-like plates joined at the 
edges, was bred from a number of the clusters and determined as an 
undescribed Dryinus. This parasite is unfortunately rather rare. 

The Osage-orange 'Pjralid {Loxostege maclurw Riley) is spreading 
over the State, its work being most disastrous on young hedges, the 
growth of which it seriously checks. Spraying with Paris green dur- 
ing the months of June and July has been practiced to some extent in 
the vicinity of St. Louis, and has been found a reliable remedy. But 
it is so difficult to secure concerted effort in this direction that the 
increase of the insect is not materially interrupted. Close clipping of 
hedges about the 1st of August is also advisable, as at this time a 
majority of the eggs and newly hatched larvae of the second brood are 
on the leaves and are, by this process, removed and burned. In the 
course of a few minutes' examination of some clippings, I found many 
egg masses and clusters of young larvae, and noted that during the 
remainder of the season the worms were far less numerous than they 
had been the previous year when the hedge had been trimmed earlier. 
Pruning about this time may therefore be relied upon as an important 
preventive measure. 



REPORTS OF OBSERVATIONS AND EXPERIMENTS. 39 

It is perhaps worthy of record that the large, formidable appearing 
larvce of both Citheronia regalis and Eacles iniperialis were never 
before so abundant in this locality as they were this autumn. They 
were brought to me again and again as something very wonderful and 
from appearances very dangerous. About the 1st of August a bat- 
tered female of imperialis was brought me in a box in which in the 
course of two or three days she placed two hundred and seventy-five 
eggs. These were subglobose, 4'""' in diameter, of a cream-white 
color, streaked or tinged with pale brown. The larvae hatched in seven 
days. As I was about leaving home for several weeks the young larvae 
were i^laced upon a small sycamore tree (Platanus) and left to their 
fate. Upon my return a careful examination resulted in the discovery 
of about a dozen of the half grown larvae. These also disappeared 
one by one, having been, in all probability, devoured by birds. 

The Horn Fly. — The past season was notable for the invasion of the 
State by this cattle pest, at least for its manifestation in such numbers 
as to prove injurious to cattle and excite alarm among stock-growers. 
The newspapers contained numerous references to it, many of them ot 
a sensational character, although the reality was in most instances 
quite bad enough. The insect was reported to me by letter from six 
or seven different sections of the State and has undoubtedly appeared, 
in greater or less numbers, over the entire area. In our suburb of 
Kirkwood and on the neighboring dairy farms its attacks upon the 
delicate and thin-skinned Jerseys were very disastrous, certain cows 
showing much greater sensitiveness to its bites than others. The cause 
of the trouble was net immediately recognized, but as soon as the fly 
Avas identified the remedies suggested by the Department were applied 
and brought measurable relief. Our town veterinarian recommended 
for the cases to which he was called an application of liquid tar, to be 
procured in pint cans from druggists. This was thickly spread over 
the shoulders, neck, and udder, and, though very disfiguring, was, all 
things considered, the best repellant used, as its effect extended over 
a period of a week or ten days, much longer than that of kerosene 
emulsion or carbolized vaseline. It is, however, more expensive both 
in money and labor, and, therefore, not so well adapted to use on large 
herds of cattle as the kerosene emulsion. The habit of the horn tly 
of resting on the cattle by night as well as by day gives the latter no 
respite, since, even when not biting, its presence seems to be irritating. 
From my observations this year, however, I draw the hopeful conclu- 
sion that in our climate and that of Kansas and southern Illinois it 
will not be able to multiply as it does in localities not subject to annual 
and protracted droughts. After dry weather set in the droppings were 
so quickly hardened that the larvae were unable to develop, and by the 
1st of August but few flies were noticed upon cattle in this locality. 
We also found that chickens in the stable yard and pasture rendered 
good service by scratching into and spreading the droppings and pick- 



40 REPORTS OF OBSERVATIONS AND EXPERIMENTS. 

ing out whatever larvje were contained tlierein. I have not been able 
to learn that ranch was done in the State in the way of spreading or 
liming the manure but this will doubtless in time become one of the 
regular duties of our herdsmen ; while the use of the repellant sprays 
and other applications, when necessary, will serve to protect the ani- 
mals, not only from the particular insect under consideration, but from 
the attacks of botflies, Tabanids, Stomoxys, and other biting flies from 
which they ordinarily suffer exceedingly. 

The Fy^uit Bark-beetle. — Previous to the current year there is but one 
brief reference to the presence of the above-named insect, the Scolytus 
rugulosus of Eatzeburg, in Missouri. This is found on the last page of 
the third volume of the Amencan Entomologist, published in 1880, 
where Prof. Eiley mentions, after determining the insect for various 
localities in the Eastern States, that he " had received the insect some 
years ago from Hillsboro, Mo., attacking the peach." Probably it has 
occurred, unrecognized, in many orchards since that date, where its 
work was referred to that very comprehensive affection termed " blight." 
However, during the past spring several correspondents of the Rural 
Woi^lcl and the St. Louis Bepuhlie discovered the minute beetles emerg- 
ing through the pin-hole-like orifices in the bark of twigs and small 
branches of peach, jjlum, and cherry, and specimens were sent to me 
for determination and for the purpose of finding a remedy. From Clay- 
ton, in St. Louis County, Mr. J. W. E. Bellville, one of the county offi- 
cials, sent me specimens of the insect early in May, emerging from 
twigs of cherry, with the information that one or two of his trees had 
already been killed by them and that the beetles were so numerous 
that he feared the destruction of his entire orchard. An examination 
of the twigs revealed a large number of the beetles, and under the bark 
a few full-grown larv?e and pupae. The beetles were engaged in boring 
back into the twigs, in every case, so far as noticed, entering through 
the latent buds and even through some that were unfolding. Q^ 
August the trees severely affected had lost most of their leaves, the 
bark of the branches was shrunken, and the twigs were breaking off'. 
Beetles were again found making their way back into such twigs and 
branches as showed a measure of vitality. Very few larvae were found 
in tlie portions of the trees examined, and such as were discovered were 
ready to transform, indicating the double-broodeduess of the insect. 
Mr. Bellville wrote me that he thought he had protected some of his 
trees by spraying at this time with Paris green. So far as I have been 
able to find out by personal examination and inquiry the insect is yet 
quite local in the State, and if horticulturists can be brought to realize 
the danger of neglect in this case it can no doubt be held in check, if 
not entirely stamped out. 

The Fear-tree Clear-icing Borer in Apjyle. — This insect {JEgeria pyri 
Harr.) appears for the first time, I believe, to swell the ranks of the almost 
innumerable pests of the apple tree, upon which it may prove more 
injurious than it has hitherto done upon the pear. 



REPORTS OF OBSERVATIONS AND EXPERIMENTS. 41 

Early in May 1 received from Mr. S. W. Gilbert, of the Flint Hill 
fruit farms, in Oregon County, a few small lepidopterous larvae taken 
from tlie young apple trees, with the information that "the worms eat 
the inner bark next to the hard wood and are usually, if not always, 
concealed at least one-eighth of an inch from the dead bark." Mr. Gil- 
bert further says: "I find the insects especially abundant on trees that 
have been 'sun scalded' on the southwest side. They work at the 
edges of the green bark next to the dead portion of the tree. Among 
the young Missouri pippin trees last year I found a large number that 
had on their trunks from one to several spots of dead wood about twice 
the size of a silver dollar, and in every case we find this spring these 
worms working around the deadened spot." The larvse accompanying, 
the above note were about one-half inch in length by one-tenth inch in 
diameter, subcylindrical, of a yellowish-white color, with a few scattered 
soft white hairs arising from inconspicuous piliferous plates. Head 
dark brown, rather broad and short, collar covering rather more than 
half of the toi) of the first joint. The appearance was almost precisely 
that of a Tortricid, except that the jaws seemed somewhat broader and 
stronger. In the course of a few days, however, the peculiar cocoons, 
or follicles characteristic of the ^gerians were formed between pieces 
of bark, except in the case of two larvse, in whose place appeared two 
rather large white cocoons of a parasite, probably an Apanteles. But 
one of these developed and this, to my very great regret, escaped from 
the rearing jar and could not be recovered. On June 9 two moths 
emerged, both males, which upon comparison proved to be the species 
above named. These were the only examples that I was able to obtain, 
but several other correspondents reported borers in young apple trees 
whose habits seemed to agree with those sent by Mr. Gilbert. 

In all cases it was recommended to drench the trunks of the trees 
with kerosene emulsion two or three times during the months of June 
and July, or to apply the soft soap and soda mixture that has been so 
often used to prevent the borer beetles from laying their eggs. As it 
was not asserted that this ^gerian confined its attacks to that portion 
of the trunk just above ground, as is the habit of the allied peach 
borer, I could not advise mounding as a preventive. 

The Peach or Plum Bark-louse. — While at Carthage, in Jasper 
County, last December, in attendance at the annual meeting of our 
State Horticultural Society, one of the residents of the city brought me 
a number of peach twigs from his orchard in the suburbs, thickly cov- 
ered with the characteristic scales of Lecanium persicce Fab., with the 
information that many of his trees had become unthrifty and unfruitful 
in consequence. This was my first acquaintance with this scale, as it 
has not hitherto proved sufficiently injurious to attract much attention 
from peach-growers; and upon looking up such of its literature as was 
at my command I found that its complete life history had not been pub- 
lished. 



42 REPORTS OF OBSERVATIONS AND EXPERIMENTS. 

Early in April other infested twigs were sent to me from Jefferson 
County, and, about tlie same time, a subscriber of tlie Rural World 
sent still others over which were scattered the largest and most brightly 
colored scales that had yet met my eye. They were not darkened by 
the smut fungus which after a year or two follows the attacks of this 
insect and completes the disfigurement and destruction of the tree. 
The scale is a very handsome one, as scales go. The form is hemi- 
splierical, tending to conical in the center, 2.5 to 4'""' in diameter; sur- 
face highly polished, though not smooth, being indented with more 
or less distinct, shallow, crenulated grooves, radiating from the cen- 
ter to the margin; general color black, or very dark brown, with a longi- 
tudinal dorsal band of bright, sealing-wax red and fine streaks of red 
alternating with broader ones of paler brown to form a border. When 
detached from the twig during winter or early in the spring, the under 
side will be found slightly concave and, occupying the center, is the 
still quite well-defined body of the female, surrounded by a brown 
jelly like substance Avhich fills the remainder of the shell across which 
four, or sometimes six, diminishing white thread-like lines extending 
to the edge of the scale, have the appearance of legs and would seem 
to assist in keeping the scale in place. When lifted carefully from the 
posterior end, the long hair-like beak can be distinguished with a strong- 
lens and is capable of being drawn out to a length of 2°"". 

On May 2, my attention was called by a friend to a young Lombard 
plum in his garden, which exhibited the worse case of attack yet seen — 
probably the unchecked development of several seasons. The twigs 
and smaller branches were absolutely incrusted on all sides with the 
Coccids, presenting to other than entomological eyes, a repulsive spec- 
tacle. Even at this late date segregation had not taken j)lace. By the 
20th of the mouth, however, the eggs were fully formed and every scale 
was crowded with them. The egg is broad oblong in form, 0.5"^'" in 
length, pale yellow in color, and m the mass quite free and granular. 
Hatching began June 10 and continued for nearly a month. The 
young larvee were the largest species yet observed, very flat, uniformly 
pale yellow, the carapace being indicated by a very thin lateral rim. 
The legs were rather long and well developed. Antennse five or six 
jointed, one-half the length of the body. By July 15 hatching was 
completed, and in the meantime, those first hatched, of which a part * 
were separated and kept on fresh twigs in the rearing jar, had nearly 
all become stationary on the leaves and transformed to male pupae. 
Twigs brought me from the tree at this date had the foliage covered 
with the young in all stages, the majority being still in a state of great 
activity, resembling in general appearance and in the peculiar wavy 
motion when crawling, a myriad of small Tingitids. The sexes were 
undistinguishable. The mature larval scale is about 2'"'" in length, 
slightly convex, of a translucent greenish- white color. Two converg- 
ing carinoe inclose a narrow flat dorsal space, from which a border, 



REPORTS OF OBSERVATIONS AND EXPERIMENTS. 43 

divided into six or seven panes, by similar, though finer, opaque, white 
ridges, slopes shghtly on all sides. Under the scales, which were 
stationary, and which in no respect differed from those that were still 
moving about over leaves and twigs, were found male pupsB entirely 
detached and displaying wing pads and other members as seen in nymphae 
of the higher Hemiptera. 

On the 22d of July winged males appeared in the rearing jar, the 
pupal period being about one week. In this stage, also, the insect is 
beautiful, with filmy, iridescent wings expanding 4°"" ; body rose red, 
with some dark brown shadings about the head and tip of the abdomen, 
and an especially distinct, dark- brown, transverse thoracic band. 
August 10 hundreds of winged males, fresh pupte, and active larvoe 
were still found on the leaves. The act of copulation did not come 
under my eye, although the winged forms continually fluttered over 
those that were crawling. The life of the male seems to be of about a 
week's duration. My observations on this insect were interrupted by 
absence from home from the middle of the month until the 5th of Sep- 
tember, when I found that the males had disappeared and that the 
females had attached themselves to the bark of such twigs as still 
retained a measure of vigor. The scales were about one-half grown, 
had darkened, thickened, and become centrally elevated. As in all 
scales, growth by the exudation of waxy material around the margin 
was slowly iDrogressiug. At the present date (November 10) the 
Scales are not more than two-thirds the size that they were last year 
and not nearly so numerous and drop easily from the twigs upon which 
the black fungus has appeared. This is very likely due to the debility 
of the tree, which will scarcely survive the wiuter. 

Among the natural checks of Lecanium persicce, one true parasite 
{Chiloneurus alhicornis) was bred in small numbers from the mature 
scales and the active young were extensively preyed upon by Chrysopa 
larvae,' by Camptohrochis nebulosus — a small, speckled, gray bug that I 
have always found in numbers upon leaves infested with Phylloxera 
rileyi, the oak Chermes, and similar minute forms — and more especially 
by the flocculent larvae of a small Coccinellid about S'""^ long and 
nearly as broad, black, with a red spot on each wing cover, which has 
been kindly determined for me as Hyperaspis signata. The larvae of 
the latter were very numerous and active among the swarming young 
of the Lecanium, but, strange to say, were not found on any other Ooccid 
or Aphis during the season. As I was desirous of preserving this 
Lecanium through the summer for study, no insecticides were used 
upon the tree, but from experiments made upon several twigs and 
branches there is no doubt that kerosene emulsion, thymo-cresol, and 
an insecticide called Cannon's fruit protector, would all prove eflBcient 
remedies if systematically used, especially upon the young larvae. 

The observations of the past season upon the insect under considera- 
tion have brough t out the following peculiarities : The very late hatching 



44 REPORTS OF OBSERVATIONS AND EXPERIMENTS. 

and dispersion of the young; the unusual length of active larval life; 
the occurrence of both sexes upon the leaves; the fact that the females 
do not fix themselves until after impregnation, and, under certain not 
Tvell-understood conditions, a very remarkable preponderance of males. 

The Linden Leaf-Roller. — The only shade-tree pest of importance, not 
observed in this locality previous to the past season, was the above- 
named Pyralid {Pantographa limata Gr. & Eob.). This appeared on 
both the native and European lindens {Tilia americana and T. eurojiwa) 
along the walks and on the lawns of many residents of Kirkwood,and 
attracted general attention by the peculiar manner in which it twisted 
the leaves. On the trees of the " Linden walk " in the grounds of Mr, 
A. S. Mermod the insect occurred in such numbers that almost every 
third leaf, of the European lindens especially, was thus rolled, and the 
trees reminded one of Christmas trees covered with candles. 

The newly hatched larva begins its case by simply foldingunder a bit 
of the edge of the leaf, severing the folded part at the end toward tlie 
base, and feeding on the green tissue of the portion inclosed. After 
the first molt, it effects another roll and by a series of stitch-like bands 
of silk fastens it in place and continues the process until the entire 
leaf (of the European linden) or the apical two-thirds of our native 
species is included in the coil. Dnring the day it feeds sparingly upon 
the included portions of the leaf, but at night, when it spins and folds, 
it also eats ragged holes in the adjacent leaves or gnaws their edges. 
The nearly full-grown larvae sometimes desert the first case and form 
a fresh and very perfect one shortly before leaving the tree for pupa- 
tion. Within this case the larva rests in slovenly fashion among a lot 
of sticky web and scattered frass. The larva and its case are described 
by Prof. Fernald in the Canadian Entomologist (vol. xvi, p. 26). 

In the specimens examined this summer the form was rather sub- 
cylindrical than fusiform and tapered only slightly posteriorly, and the 
head and collar were more frequently brown than black. Prof. Fernald 
also says: "While the imago oi Pantograplia limata Gr. is atypical 
Pyralid, the larva is so very much like Tortricid larvfe, both in struc- 
ture and habits, that I unhesitatingly referred it to the Tortricidte till 
it emerged." This is true of the larvae after the last molt or just 
before changing, but the younger larvae have the somewhat slimy sur- 
face and other less definite characteristics which the experienced 
observer at once recognizes as peculiar to the leaf-feeding Pyralids. 
When ready for transformation, the larva cuts a circular hole through 
the side of its case and lets itself to the ground, where it forms from a 
leaf a spacious, oval tent which it lines with silk, or more fi^equently 
the leaf will be attached to the lower part of the trunk of the tree or 
some other flat surface and will then be in the form of an eggshell 
divided in half longitudinally and applied by the edges. In tlie rear- 
ing cages, these large, low tents were afllixed to the glass by numerous 
stitch-like bands of silk, and the glass was so thinly coated with web 
that the larva or i)npa within was but slightly obscured from view. 



REPORTS OF OBSERVATIONS AND EXPERIMENTS. 45 

The pupa averages 10'"°^ in length, is rather stout for a Pyralid, of a 
shining red-brown color, sometimes tinged with olive. Pupae were tirst 
observed on July 9, and the moths began to emerge on the 25th of the 
same month and continued coming out in the rearing cage until the 
10th of August. 

This species is one of the largest and handsomest in the group, hav- 
ing a wing expanse of from 1 to 1§ inches (25 to 35"""), and being more 
lustrous and variegated in coloring than is usual among its leaf-feeding 
allies. 

The second (or it may have been the third) brood of the larvfe 
ai)peared on the trees about the middle of September, and singularly 
enough from one to three of them, still very small, were often found in 
the large cones deserted by the preceding brood. In the rearing- cages 
they developed very irregularly, one or two moths appearing early in 
November, while others that were, perhaps, somewhat underfed are 
still rej)osing in their cases unchanged. 

Xo parasites were bred except a Tachinid of the genus Parexorista, 

Spraying was not resorted to this year, but will be practiced should 
the insect again appear in injurious numbers, as it is evident from 
tests on a small scale that a very small proportion of Paris green in 
water is quickly fatal to it. 

Insecticides. — In the Missouri botanical garden, when necessary to 
spray fruit or other trees, the arsenites were this year in many cases 
combined with the most approved fungicides, and I was assured that 
the latter were quite as effectual against vegetable parasites when 
thus associated, while the lime and copper compounds seem to prevent 
that scorching of the foliage which frequently attends the application 
of the simple arsenites and water. A number of nurserymen and 
orchardists of my acquaintance have used the same combination when 
spraying, and claim great success in it. 

A preparation known as Cannon's fruit i)rotector was tested against 
certain insects, especially Coccidse, with good success. In odor and con- 
.sistency, as well as in its effects, it differs but slightly from thymo-cresol, 
on which I have previously reported, and I do not think that it is in 
any way superior to the latter. It is in the form of a molasses-like 
Huid of which one part to eighty or one hundred j)arts of water are 
used, to be applied as a spray or drench, as a combined insecticide and 
fungicide. Delicate foliage was in some cases injured by it, appearing 
as though greased, and after a few days shriveled and dropi^ed, and I 
would not recommend its use against caterpillars or Aphidids, but think 
it would prove a good repellant on the trunks of trees against borers, 
and might be advantageously applied to trees affected with bark-lice. 



INSECTS OF THE SEASON IN IOWA IN 1893. 



By Heubeet Osborn, Special Agent. 



LETTER OF SUBMITTAX. 

Ames, Iowa, October 28, IS 93. 
Sir: I forward herewith a report on some observatious of the season of 1893 
referring to the general insect attacks of the season, and with more special reference 
to a few forms that are of unusual interest. Aside from the observations reported 
here a number of other species have been studied, but full rejiorts can not be pre- 
sented at this date, and they can be better treated in special papers. 

During the season I have jirepared two papers, one On the Methods of Combat- 
ing Insects Aifecting Grasses and Forage Plants, and the other On the Treatment 
of Parasites of Domestic Animals, presented at the meeting of the Association of 
Economic Entomologists, at Madison, both of which were in large part the results of. 
studies that had been made with reference to the division work. Allow me here to 
express my thanks for many favors during the year. 
Very respectfully, yours, 

Herbert Osborx. 

C. V.ElLEY, 

U. S. Entomologist. 



The season of 1893 has been somewhat exceptional in the uature of 
its insect attacks, a number of species usually inconspicuous becoming 
seriously abundant and attracting no little attention on the part of cul- 
tivators. This has been especially true of the clover-hay worm, the 
wheat-head army worm in some localities, the clover-seed caterpillar, 
and the horn fly. The first part of the season was rather cold and quite 
wet, so that insect injury, except that caused by the clover-hay worm 
in barns and stacks, did not attract attention. The latter part of the 
season, however, has been quite dry, amounting for a few weeks to a 
drought, and within this time insects have shown their ijresence in 
very destructive numbers. A somewhat detailed statement of the 
various species will be in order. 

From the conditions present this season it is probable that we will 
have a pretty large number of grasshoppers another season, unless the 
occurrence of the blister-beetles and Bombyliid larvae, which destroy 
the eggs, has been extensive enough to reduce their numbers. 

On the Hatching of the Eggs of the Horse Botfly. — On September 19 I 
obtained a number of eggs of the common horse bot-fly, and from the 
46 



REPORTS OF ORSERVATIONS AND EXPERIMENTS. 47 

fact tliat two or three flies were at the time depositing eggs on the 
animal, it seemed probable that a good share, at any rate, of those 
obtained had been recently deposited. It occurred to me to make some 
observations on the time and conditions when these eggs would hatch, 
and the following record is the result : On September 23, four days 
after collection, the eggs, when moistened, showed distinct dark bands 
with rows of black spines upon the segments, indicatiug a well devel- 
oped condition of the embryo, but there was no tendency to hatch and 
the egg when opened showed the embryo to be only slightly active, its 
movements being slow, and it would appear that it was not really 
ready for hatching at that time. An effort to hatch them by rubbing 
was not made at this time but the eggs opened by picking off' the cap. 
On the following day, September 24, the eggs previously moistened did 
not hatch, but one egg, upon being moistened and rubbed for some time 
with the end of the finger in a manner to simulate the action of the horse's 
tongue, was hatched, and adhered to the finger. This specimen was 
fairly active, especially the hinder portion of the body. This must have 
been at least five days after deposition and, of course, may have been 
longer than this, as some of the eggs may have been deposited some 
days previous to the time of collecting. On September 25 the two eggs 
which were first moistened but not rubbed were still unhatched, and it 
would appear from this that moisture alone is insufficient to produce 
the hatching, at least during the earlier time following deposition. On 
the next day another egg was hatched by moistening and rubbing and 
by also picking the cap of the egg with a pin. The rubbing alone did not 
succeed in hatching it, although continued for a long time, but when 
the lid was picked with a pin the larva appeared active and it would 
seem i)erfectly capable of all movement necessary for migration to the 
stomach. On September 27 another specimen was hatched, but this was 
also hatched with difficulty, the cap being removed finally by slight 
pressure with a needle point, the larvoe, as in previous cases, appearing 
active. On September 28 another egg was hatched in the same man- 
ner as the preceding one, the cap being removed with difificuJty but the 
larva active. It would seem from this that for at least ten days the 
hatching occurs with difficulty and if these were average specimens it 
Avould hardly be possible with the ordinary movement of the tongue to 
secure the release of the larvae. Some days elapsed before another 
effort was made, but on October 21 another egg was tried and this one 
hatched almost immediately upon being touched with the moist finger, 
the larva adhering to the finger and wriggling about with great activity, 
so that it would certainly have had every opportunity to find the con- 
ditions for its survival. On the same day two other eggs were opened, 
the lid being removed very quickly by being moistened with the finger, 
but the larvse from these two eggs were inactive, apparently dead, 
and this would seem to confirm the view that the larvse die without 
issuing or breaking the cap from the egg unless moisture or rubbing is 



48 REPORTS OF OBSERVATIONS AND EXPERIMENTS. 

applied. Again, on October 26, two or tliree eggs were used, eacb of 
which gave off the cap very readily, but in none of them did I find any 
active larvae, although one of the larvae seemed to be fresh and showed 
very feeble movement. October 27 one egg hatched as before and gave 
a larva which appeared inactive. Another, hatched at the same time, 
appeared inactive at first, but, upon the addition of a drop of saliva, 
showed at first a slight amount of movement at the head end, being- 
most apparent in the hooks and later quite decided contractions 
appeared in the forward part of the body, the larva becoming in a short 
time sufficiently active so that there would seem to be no difficulty in 
its securing proper conditions for development and ability to attach 
itself to the mucous membrane of the alimentary canal had it been set 
free upon the horse's tongue. 

October 28 seven eggs were opened by means of moisture and rub- 
bing as heretofore, and these all proved to be inactive, three of them 
thoroughly plump, but not recovering Avhen placed in a drop of mois- 
ture, while the others were shriveled and two of them adhered to the 
shell. 

I also found among the remaining eggs one from which the larva was 
partially free, the cap of the eggshell adhering to the front end of the 
larva and the larvae wriggling about actively, the tail portion only being 
connected with the shell. 

One or two other eggs had been noticed from which the caps were 
removed, and these had probably hatched by their own efforts. This 
would seem to show that it is possible, although not a normal habit, 
for the embryos to push the egg cap oft* and escape without assistance. 

Summing up the results of these observations, which were not as 
complete as might be desired, it seems that we may, with considerable 
certainty, reach the following conclusions. Some difference, due to the 
changing conditions of moisture, may be possible under field condi- 
tions, the conclusions being strictly applicable only to the conditions 
under which these eggs were kept : 

(1) That- the eggs of the horse bot-fly do not hatch, except by the 
assistance of the horse's tongue. 

(2) That hatching does not ordinarily occur within ten or twelve days 
and possibly longer, or, if during this period, only on very continuous 
and active licking by the horse. 

(3) That the hatching of the larvae takes place most j-eadily during 
the third to fifth week after deposition. 

(4) That the majority of the larvae lose their vitality after thirty-five 
to forty days. 

(5) That larva3 may retain their vitality and show great activity upon 
hatching as late as thirty-nine days after the eggs were deposited. 

(6) That it is possible, though not normal, for eggs to hatch without 
moisture or friction. 



REPORTS OF OBSERVATIONS AND EXPERIMENTS. 49 

(7) That ill view of these results, the scraping off of the eggs or their 
removal or destructiou by means of washes will be very effective, even 
if not used oftener than once in two weeks during the period of egg 
deposition, and probably that a single thorough removal of the eggs 
after the period of egg deposition has past will prevent the great 
majority of bots in gaining access to the stomach, or at least so large a 
proportion, that little injury is likely to occur. 

The Horn Fly. — This is the first season in which Hcematohia serrata 
has proved troublesome in this vicinity. Eeports late last year indi- 
cated some trouble in the eastern portion of the State, and in Kansas 
it was reported mucb farther west, but was not observed in this particu- 
lar localitj% I have been informed, however, by some stockmen tbat 
it was seen late in autumn. The iDresent season it appeared in large 
numbers in the first part of July, numbers being sufficient to seriously 
annoy stock, and from that time on the pest has been very plentiful 
and troublesome. 

The Glover-hay Worm. — This species was one of the conspicuous pests 
of the season, specimens being received from different parts, of the 
State and reports from other localities sufficiently to show that the 
clover hay quite generally throughout the State and in adjacent locali- 
ties has suffered largely from its attack. The injury has been of the 
characteristic form, the lower portions of the haymows and stacks^ 
being eaten, filled with webs and excrementitious matter, entailing a 
considerable loss. Aside from Pyralis costalis, the Pyralisfarinalis has. 
been quite abundant, appearing in large numbers in some of the barns, 
and it is pretty certain that a considerable portion of the injury may 
be referred to that species. Judging from the abundance of the moths 
in certain cases, it would seem to be the more abundant form, but in a 
number of cases where sj)ecimens have been received the larvae were 
of the costalis form and proved upon breeding to be that species. 
There is probably no difference in the habits of the two forms, so far as 
their clover-feeding habit goes, that would necessitate any difference 
of treatment. I have, in a few cases, recommended the use of bisul- 
phide of carbon for this pest with special precaution as to its use on 
account of inflammability of the liquid, and while I have not had the 
opportunity to test it personally, nor receive reports from any who may 
have tried it at my suggestion, I am confident that it could be used for 
the destruction of the larvae, and that by this process barns could be 
freed from the pests without the necessity of the cleaning out of the 
old hay and burning the webbed portions, a process which involves 
considerable labor and is sometimes quite inconvenient to adopt. 

Clover-seed Caterpillar. — This species, Grapholitha interstinctana, has 

received attention during the last two or three years, but its increased 

abundance the present season makes it worthy of still further mention. 

It has been forwarded from different localities and has certainly 

1493— Bull. 32 4 



50 REPORTS OF OBSERVATIONS AND EXPERIMENTS. 

attracted more attention from farmers this season than at any time 
heretofore. So plentiful was it during the latter part of the summer 
that there seemed no possibility of a profitable crop of clover seed, and 
where it occurred in abundance the recommendation was made that the 
-clover be cut before the larvse had matured or else pastured heavily, 
with the hope of destroying as many of the larvae as possible and pre- 
venting a late fall brood of this species, which feeds largely npon the 
leaves and at the base of the stems and later hibernates, to mature in 
the spring. 

The Sod Weh ivorm. — The sod web-worm, Cramhus exsiccatus, was 
more i)lentiful the present season than it has been at any time since 
1887, and judging by the large numbers of moths that appeared at lights 
during August and September, there must have been quite extensive 
injuries from them. 

The Wheat-head Army Worm. — Attention has been called to this 
species, Lencania albilinea, in nearly every report during the past few 
years, but it has this season appeared more numerously and attracted 
more attention than at any time since the year 1887, and the distribu- 
tion of the species in the State has been different from its occurrence 
in previous seasons. The greatest amount of injury, judging from 
reports, has been in the northeastern quarter of the State, particularly 
in the line of counties running west from Dubuque to the middle of the 
State. 

As in previous years, the reports have been in regard to injury to 
timothy, and in no case have I learned of attacks upon wheat or other 
crops, although it is not at all improbable that such crops have been 
attacked, but injury has not been noticed. As the species has not been 
abundant in the immediate vicinity of Ames, I have had no opportu- 
nity to make direct investigations or to attempt immediate measures. 
The varied food i)lant of the species, and particularly its inconspicuous 
nature during the autumn months, make it difficult to suggest remedies 
that are in any great degree successful or which could be considered 
worthy of strong recommendation. In general, the recommendation has 
been given that as soon as the injury is manifest upon timothy, and if 
the worms are present in any considerable numbers, that the timothy 
be cut immediately and saved for hay, since delay in the matter 
would mean a loss of the seed crop and also loss of the hay. Even 
at the time the worm becomes apparent in its stripping of the timothy 
heads the hay is usually past its i^riine for forming the hay crop, but 
it is much more profitable to save it then than to lose it entirely. This 
method would, of course, be inapplicable in wheat fields, but, as already 
stated, the injury from this species to the wheat in this section has not 
at any time seemed serious. It is probable that the maintenance of 
trap lights at the proper time would be quite effective, but the diffi- 
culty of getting ftirmers to make use of any measures except at the 
time when the damage is apparent, renders this of little avail. 



REPORTS OF OBSERVATIONS AND EXPERIMENTS. 51 

The Leaf -folder — During tlie latter part of the summer my attention 
"w^as called to a serious depredation of the leaf-folder in some nurseries 
near Des Moines. Examination of the leaves showed the presence of 
large numbers of the larvse, with a considerable number of pupae, and 
from these pupae I obtained, during the early part of October, consider- 
able numbers of the winter form of the leaf folder {Teras mlniita). The 
species has been somewhat i)revalent during the past few years, but 
this season became much more destructive and caused considerable 
damage to several acres of yearling trees. The indications at the time 
my attention was called to them were that the use of poison would be 
effective for the larvae still immature, but they were so rapidly matur- 
ing that it seemed hardly desirable to adopt such measures for the 
present season. Both pupae and larvae were in such condition, however, 
as to be destroyed by pinching, and this was recommended on account 
of the benefit it should give for the coming season. 

The Leaf Sl'eletonizer {Pempelia hammondi) occurred in considerable 
numbers in the nurseries where the leaf-folder was destructive, and was 
responsible, probably, for about 20 to 25 per cent of the damage. Had 
the injuries been noted somewhat earlier practically all the damage 
done by this species could have been avoided by a spraying with 
London purple or Paris green, but at the time mentioned the season had 
so far passed that it seemed impracticable and of little use to make 
applications. 

Nomo2)hila noctuella. — In two of my previous reports I have called 
attention to the great abundance of this pyralid moth, and suggested 
the probability of its being a destructive species in x)astures and 
meadows. The immature stages have, however, not been observed, 
and no opportunity has been presented for giving the species a 
special study. Last season Mr. E. P. Felt, at Cornell University, 
bred the larvae, and presents in the Canadian Entomologist (vol. 
XXV, p. 129) a summary of the life history of the species with figures 
of the larva and adult. He found it to feed upon clover primarily and 
also upon grass, and his observations seem to establish the economic 
importance of the species. Evidently this species is distributed very 
generally throughout the country, and judging by the abundance of 
moths in this locality it must rank as one of the particularly destructive 
species. According to Mr. Felt, the collection of adults at lights would 
be of little avail in this species, as those which gather at lights are for 
the most part males. In the related species belonging to the genus 
Crambus I have shown that the individuals coming to lights are in a 
large part females loaded with eggs, and it seems to me that it is desira- 
ble to obtain still more complete records as to the individuals attracted 
to lights before a final conclusion is reached as to the value of this 
method. The difficulty of attacking the insect in any other manner, 
except by plowing, makes the use of lights, if in any degree successful, 
an important method of destruction. 



62 REPORTS OF OBSERVATIONS AND EXPERIMENTS. 

The Clover-seed Midge {Cecklomyia legutninicola). — This pest has 
caused considerable trouble during the season, although I believe it is 
subordinate to the clover-seed caterpillar mentioned elsewhere. Sam- 
ples of clover heads have been received from various localities in which 
the midge larvae were abundant, and they have doubtless been respon- 
sible for considerable losses. The farmers of the State seem impressed 
with the importance of the species and are making efforts to control 
it. The plan of cutting early for the first crop does not seem to meet 
with so much favor with many of them as the plan of pasturing the 
clover fields during the. spring months so as to prevent the develop- 
ment of a spring brood of midges. This method presents some advan- 
tages and I am inclined to think it will prove most advantageous if the 
clover is allowed to head before turning stock upon it, so that such 
midges as appear may dejDosit eggs, and then by turning on a good 
number of animals the heads may be devoured before the larvse have 
had time to develop. When the crop is cut for hay there is, of course, 
some danger that the more advanced larvae may be shaken from the 
heads and pupate, thus producing the second brood of midges. More- 
over, the farmers are adverse to cutting for hay early on account of 
the smaller crop and the interference with other farm work. 



EEPOET OX INSECTS mJURIOUS TO FOREST TREES. 



By A. S. Packard, Temporary Field Agent. 



LETTER OF SUBMITTAL. 

Providence, R. I., Octoler IS, 1S93. 

Sik: I forward this day a report on the work done the past season in Maine and 

Kb ode Island. Notes were also made on other insects, and partial life-histories 

recorded which are not yet sufficiently complete for publication. In accordance with 

your instructions I spent a portion of the season, most of June and the latter 

part of September, in Providence, and the months of July and August in Maine, 

and early part of September in New Hampshire. 

Respectfully, yours, 

A. S. Packard. 

C. V. KiLEY, 

U, S. Entomologist, 



^Notwithstanding the uniformly severe and prolonged winter of 
1892-'93, during which there seemed to have been fewer sudden alter- 
nations of severe cold and thaws than usual, there was in the summer 
succeeding a remarkable dearth of insect life, especially of caterpillars 
and other larvae which feed exposed on the foliage of trees and shrubs. 
I never knew such a scarcity of these insects, and this state of things, 
I am told, prevailed to a greater or less degree throughout 1^'ew Eng- 
land. 

The Spruce Worm and Larch Worm. — Two subjects of interest in 
connection with my work in former years attracted my attention. These 
were the effects of the Invasion of the spruce worm ( Torfna? fumiferana) 
and of the attacks on the larches or hackmatacks of the larch worm 
[Nem atiis erichsonii) . 

The region on the shores of Casco Bay, in which I spent the months 
of July and August, and which in 1878-'87 was ravaged by the Spruce 
Worm, as described in the Fifth Report of the U. S. Entomological 
Commission, was greatly changed in appearance since 1887. During 
the past few years the former unsightly aspect of the shores, including 
portions of the mainland, as well as the inner islands, have been most 
decidedly and very pleasantly changed by the rapid growth of young 
spruce and firs which had si^rung up since the old growth had been 
removed, with the result that what were formerly bare and unsightly 
areas are now fresh and green tracts, with the promise of soon becom- 

53 



54 REPORTS OF OBSERVATIONS AND EXPERIiMENTS. 

ing thriving woodland, owing to the rapid growth of the yonng trees. 
In one i)lace in particular, on the new wharf road in Brunswick, of 
which j)hotographs were taken in 1883, and which are reproduced as 
Plates XIII and xiv of my report, the new growth of spruces and firs 
has within ten years completely changed the aspect of the fields and 
woodlands at that spot. And so it is with an extensive tract of land 
on Birch Island, devastated by this worm about ten years previously. 
These coniferous trees grow nearly a foot a year, under favorable condi- 
tions, and thus rai)idly cover and conceal old stumps, ijiles of trash 
wood and fallen trees, as well as places more or less bare-of vegetation. 

It is also to be observed that neither the caterpillars nor moths of 
the species have been observed at or about Casco Bay since 1883 or 
1884, none of the worms being detected on the trees, and none of the 
moths being taken by the net or captured at light. 

The larches or hackmatacks in Maine liave in general recovered from 
the attacks of the larch worm, which was so abundant a few years ago. 
No specimens either of the worm or of the sawliy were collected or 
observed during the past two years. While a few old trees died, the 
younger ones, or those not too much ravaged, appear to have leaved 
out and to have recuperated. 

The Fir Leaf-sheaf Worm. — During the past two or three years the 
firs on the shores of Casco Bay at Brunswick, Me., have been disfigured 
in an unusual way by the larva of a Tineid moth, which has been 
determined by Prof. 0. H, Fernald to be Blastobasis chalcofrontella 
Clem, My attention was called to the work of this caterpillar during 
the end of June and in July, 1891, the worms occurring as late as July 
15. The terminal branches of the trees bore some dead red *' needles " 
or leaves, which, however, had not been gnawed off by the worm. On 
the under side of such twigs or small branches were masses of castings 
or excrement, enveloping what seem to be the swollen or hypertrophied 
bases or sheaths of the leaves, and which look like flower buds. They 
are about a fifth of an inch long, forming masses about an inch in 
length. These empty capsules were sewed together by a few silken 
threads, and among them the little cateri^illar resides. It does not bore 
into the twig itself, which is green and fresh, but the tree is none the 
less seriously disfigured by its attacks. As the worms did not occur 
later on in the season Ijudge they begin their work in the spring, or at 
least in May. Some that were found July 15 finished their transforma- 
tions towards the end of the season, the moth being found dead in the 
breeding box in May of the following year. Whether it emerged before 
the winter or not I can not state. 

A small Tortricid larva was observed at Brunswick, Me., early in 
the summer of 1890, and in 1891 at work on the end of the twigs of the 
spruce. It cuts off the needles for a space of about an inch in length 
and spins a web next to the twig by which the faded red needles are 
attached to the twig. When about to transform it spins a rude, 



EEPORTS OF OBSERVATIONS AND EXPERIMENTS. 55 

long, slender, oval cocoon covered with pellets of excrement, within 
which it changes to a chrysalis, the cocoon being situated under and 
among the dead, reddish leaves. The larvae were observed July 1, and 
the moth appeared the following spring. 

The Fourteen-flapped Geometrid. — Several caterpillars of this species 
from which I bred moths like ApJodes coniferaria occurred on witch 
hazel, Ilamamelis virginica, living among the tawny, yellowish-brown 
leaflets of the ends of the shoots, Sej^tember 8, at Brunswick, Me. Its 
shape, markings, and color are such as to assimilate it to the peculiar 
small yellowish leaflets at the end of the flower-twigs, and to enable it 
to easily avoid the attacks of birds. It is an excellent example of iDro- 
tective mimicry. It changed to a chrysalis in a thin cocoon, and the 
moth appeared in the breeding cage May 10 of the following year. It 
probably lays its eggs in June on the oiDcning buds or leaves. 

It is probable that my Aplodes coniferaria is but a small form of A. 
mimosa ria. 

JUlotes on Lepidopierous Larvie attacldng Forest Trees. — From the cliest- 
nut I have reared Acronycta Jiamamclis Guen. It spun a thin but reg- 
ular cocoon, and changed to a pupa October 7. Also from the yellow 
birch, the pupa occurring September 15-20, Acronycta ovata Grote. 
Acronycta grisea Walk, was bred from the willow aud i)oplar. 

On the tupelo at Providence 1 found, September 28, the larva of 
Catocala elonympha Hbn, The caterpillar is pale gray, resembling in 
markings and color a piece of the twig of this tree. It has no very 
distinctive markings or prominent warts or humps. It spun a thin 
white cocoon and i^upated October 4, and the moth emerged in the 
breeding box on May 15 ensuing. 

From the choke cherry I have had Eutrapela transversata Dr., the 
moth appearing August 24. 

From the willow I have reared at Brunswick, Me., Boarmia crepiis- 
cularia, the moth appearing August 30, the pupa having been found 
August 8. 

From the chestnut at Brunswick, Me., I took, August 23, a pupa of 
AcidaUa insularla Guen., which disclosed the moth on the 27th of 
the same month. I also collected from a maple, September 6, at Bruns- 
wick, Me., the pupa of an Eiipitliecia near luteata in the shape of its 
wings and n)arkings, but yet apparently distinct. 

The larva of Deilinia erythemaria occurred at Brunswick, Me., not 
uncommonly on the willow and poplar, the moth appearing August 6. 

Hypena scabra Hbn. was bred from the poplar, the moth appearing 
September 5. 

The following Tortricids were reared: 

The pupa of Teras ferrugana Schiff". was found on a leaf of Betula 
popuUfoUa September 20, the moth appearing October 2. 

Genopis reticulatana Clem. The larva of this leaf-rollor, which is 
recorded by Miss Murtfeldt (Fernald's Catalogue of described Tortri- 



56 REPORTS OF OBSERVATIONS AND EXPERIMENTS. 

cidsB, p. 20) as feedinof ou the oak, Osage orange, maple, persimmon, 
and pear, was discovered July 12-16, feeding ou Apocynum androswmi- 
folium or dogbane, at Brunswick, Me. It is pale greenish, with no 
stripes or other markings. The head is honey-yellow. On each 
abdominal segment, except the last two, are four dorsal whitish pilifer- 
ous tubercles, the hairs arising from them being rather long. It 
pupated July 19, and the moth appeared August 7. It is well repre- 
sented by Eobinson's figure 34 (Trans. Amer. Ent. Soc, Feb., 1869). 

Ter'as JiasUana L. was reared from a larva found feeding on the spruce 
July 30, at Brunswick, Me. The caterpillar is green with a dark head. 

The following Tineid moths were also reared : 

Oeleehia inscripta Wlsm. The larva was found feeding on the oak at 
Brunswick, Me., September 1. The head and prothoracic shield of the 
larva are dark amber, color, the latter blackish in hind edge. Body 
dark green, transversely ringed with red lines ending on a lateral dot, 
the reddish bars being widest on the second and third thoracic seg- 
ments. It pupated about September 8 or 9, and the moth was found 
dead in the breeding box May 10 ensuing. 

Goleopliora cinerella Cham. A specimen of the moth was bred from 
a larva found on the poplar at Brunswick, Me. The larva was not 
described, but the sack is cylindrical, not flattened as usual, and the 
posterior end is compressed, somewhat turned np, the anterior end 
being cylindrical and tapering nearly to a point. It is of the color of 
a dead, dry leaf. - The larvae occur early in July, the moth appearing 
Julv 14. 



INDEX. 



Acidalia Insnlaria, on cliestnat, 55. 
Acronycta grisea, bred from willow, 55. 

hamamelia, attacking chestnut, 55. 

ovata, attacking yellow birch, 55. 
Adalia bipunctata, in hop yards, 34. 

humeralis, in hop yards, 34. 
.aSsculus californica, Clisiocampa californlca on, 

29. 
Mgeria, pyri, in apple in Missonri, 40. 
Agrotis saucia, attacked by Calosoma latipenne, 

26. 
Amara californica, ref., 26. 

stupida, ref., 26. 
Anatis 15-punctata, in Oregon, 85. 

rathvoni, in Oregon, 35. 

subvittata, in Oregon, 35. 
Aphis cucumeris, in Nebraska, 19. 
Aplodes coniferaria, mimicry of, 55. 

mimosaria= ? coniferaria, 55. 
Apple, brassy cutworm on, 25. 
Apricot, Tortrix citrana on, 24. 
Arbutus menziesii, Clisiocampa californica on, 29. 
Army worm, abundant in Nebraska. 14. 

in Missouri, 37. 
Arseniuretted hydrogen, as insecticide, 30. 
Aspidiotus pemiciosus, attacked by Ehizohius 

debilis, 36. 
Australian ladybird, notes on, 36. 

Blackberry, Cliaiocampa californica on, . 28 
Blastobasis chalcofrontella, work of, 54. 
Boarmia crepuscularia, on wiUow, 55. 

plumogeraria, on walnut, 22. 
Bot-fly of the horse, eggs of, 46. 
Bran-arsenic remedy, ill success of, 11. 
Brassy cutworm, in California, 25. 
Bruner, Lawrence, report, 9. 
Bufialo tree-hopper, in Missouri, 38. 

Calathus ruficollia, ref., 26. 

Calosoma latipenne, attacking Agrotis saucia, 26. 

peregrinator, ref., 26. 
Camptobrochis nebulosus, attacking Lecanium 

persicae, 43. 
Cannon's fruit protector, test, 45. 
Carpocapsa pomonella, in Oregon, 35. 
Catocala elonympha, on tupelo, 55. 
Cecidomyia leguminicola, in Iowa, 52. 
Cedar borer (Hylotrupes ligneus), introduction 
of, 19. 

Phloeosinua dontatus on, in Nebraska, 18. 
Cenopis reticulatana, on dogbane, 55. 
Ceresa bubalus, in Missouri, :^8. 



Chenopodium album, food plant of Tanymecus 

confertus, 18. 
Chermes pinicorticis, in Nebraska, 20. 
Cherry, Carpocapsa pomonella bred from, 35. 
Chilocorusbivulnerus, attacking scales on pine, 20. 
Chiloneurus albicomis, parasite of Lecanium 

persicae, 43. 
Chinch-bug, infectious disease of, 20. 
Chorizagrotis introferens, swarms of, 17. 
Citheronia regalis, abundance in Missouri, 39. 
Clisiocampa californica, food plants of, 29. 

on Eubus vitifolius, 28. 
Clisiocampa californica, parasites of, 30. 

constricta, on Quercus agrifolia, 29. 

disstria, ref., 29. 

thoracica, in California, 27. 
Clover-hay worm, in Iowa, 49. 

seed caterpillar, in Iowa, 49. 
midge, in Iowa, 52. 
Coccinella annectans, in hop yards, 34. 

transversoguttata, in hop yards, 34. 

trifasciata, in hop yards, 34. 
Coccinellidse, in hop yards, 34. 
Cocklebur, Tanymechus confertus on, IS. 
Coleophora cinerella, bred, 56. 
Coquillett, D. W., report, 22. 
Corn ear-worm, on peaches and oranges, 27. 
Crambus exsiccatus, increase in Iowa, 50. 
Cucumber plant-louse, in Nebraska, 19. 
Currant berries, Tortricid destroying, 35. 
Cycloneda sanguinea, in hop yards, 34. 

Deilinia erythemaria, on willow and poplar, 55. 
Differential locust, increase of, 10. 

Eacles imperialis, abundance in Missouri, 39. 
Eight-spotted forester, injuring vineyards, 16. 
Epeira angulata, ref., 30. 
Eucnephalia sp., parasite of caterpillars, 26. 
Eupithecia near luteata, on maple, 55. 
Eutrapela transversata, on choke cherry, 55. 

Fall web-worm, in Nebraska, 15. 
Fir leaf-sheaf worm, work of, 54. 
Forest trees, insects injurious to, 53. 

lepidopterous larvae attacking, 55. 
Fourteen-flapped Geometrid, notes on, 55. 
Fraxinus oregona, Clisiocampa californica on, 29. 
Fruit bark-beetle, in Missouri, 40. 
insects, in Oregon, 35. 

Gelechia inscripta, bred, 56. 
Golden-rod, Tortrix citrana on, 24. 

57 



58 



INDEX. 



Gortyna nitela, in Xebraska, 16. 
Grapliolitlia interstinctaua, in Iowa, 49. 
Grasshoppers, in Missouri, 37. 

in Nebraska, 9. 
Greasewood, Pezotettix chenopodii on, 12. 

Hasmatobia serrata, appearance in Iowa, 49. 
Harmon ia 12-maculata, rare in Oregon, 35. 

picta, in bop yards, 34. 
Heliotbis armiger, attacking oranges and peaches, 

27. 
Heteroraeles arbutifolia, Clisiocampa califomica 

on, 29. 
Hippodamia aiubigua in hop yards, 34. 

convergens in hop yards, 34. 

parenthesis in hop yards, 34. 

spuria in bop yards, 34. 

13-punctata in hop yards, 34. 
Hop louse in Oregon and Washington, 33. 
Hopperdozers, successful use of, 11, 12. 
Horn-ily, appearance in Iowa, 49. 

in Missouri, 39. 
Horse bot-fly, hatching of eggs of, 46. 
Hydrocyanic acid gas, cheapest fumigator, 32. 
Hylotrupes ligneus, in Nebraska, 19. 
Hypena scabra bred from poplar, 55. 
Hyperaspis signata, larvae attacking Lecanium 
persicse, 43. 

Insecticide gases, experiments with, 30. 

hydrocyanic acid, cheapest, 31. 
Insecticides, experience in Missouri, 45. 

Juglans califomica, Tortrix citrana on, 24. 
Janiper bark-borer in Nebraska, 18. 
Juniperus virginiana, injured in Nebraska, 18. 

Koebele, Albert, report, 33. 

Ladybird, twice-stabbed, attacking scales, 20. 

Ladybirds in hop-yards, notes, 34. 

Larch worm in Maine, 53. 

Leaf-fohler damaging nurseries in Iowa. 51. 

skeletonizer in Iowa nurseries, 51. 
Lecanium hesperidum in California, 36. 

oleae attacked by Rhizobius, 36. 
Lepidopterous larrse in cornstalks, 16. 

attacking forest trees, 55. 
Leucania albilinea in Iowa, 50. 
in Nebraska, 15. 
unipuncta in Missouri, 37. 
in Nebraska, 14. 
Lecanium persicae in Missouri, 41. 

parasite of, 43. 
Linden leaf-roller in Missouri, 44. 
Limneria fugitiva, parasitic on Clisiocampa cali- 
fomica, 29. 
Locusts in Colorado, report, 10. 
in Missouri, 37. 
in Nebraska, report, 9. 
in west Nebraska and "Wyoming, 13. 
Loxostege maclurse spreading in Missouri, 38. 
Lyda sp. on plum in Nebraska, 10. 

Masicera archippivora, parasite of Pyrameis, 30. 
frenchii.parasiteof Clisiocampa californica,30. 



Melanoplus atlanis, in Colorado, 12. 

bivittatus, increase of in Colorado, 10, 12. 
in Missouri, 37. 

differentialis, increase of, in Colorado, 10, 12. 

femur-rubrum, increase of, in Missouri, 10, 37. 

spretus, not numerous, 14. 

turnbulli, ref., 12. 
Migratory locust, not numerous, 14. 
Murtfehlt, Mary E., report, 37. 
Mysia hornii in Oregon, 35. 
Mytilaspia pinifoliae in Nebraska, 20. 

"Native" locusts, injuries in Nebraska, 14. 
Nematus erichsonii in Maine, 53. 
Nettle, Clisiocamija thoraeica on, 27. 
Noctuid moth, swarms of, 17. 
Nomophila noctuella in Iowa, 51. 

Oak, Tortrix citrana on, 24. 
CEdipoda sulphurea in Missouri, 37. 

xanthoptera in Missouri, 37. 
Orange, attacked by Heliotbis armiger, 27. 

leaf-roller in California, 24. 
Osageorange Pyralid in Missouri, 38. 
Ormenis pruinosa in Missouri, 38. 
Osbom, Herbert, report, 46. 
Oscinids preying on Coccids and Aphidids, 35. 

Packard, A. S., report, 53. 
Pantagrapha limata in Missouri, 44. 
Papilio turnus, var. glaucus, ref., 30. 
Parexorista sp., parasite of Pantagrapha limata, 45. 
Peach bark-louse in Missouri, 41. 

brassy cutworm injuring, 25. 

attacked by HeUothis armiger, 27. 
Pear, brassy cutworm injuring, 25. 

tree clear-wing borer, in apple, 40. 
Pempelia hammondi in Iowa, 51. 
Petroleum, crude, for use in hopperdozers, 12. 
Pezottetix chenopodii, n. sp., ref., 12. 
Phlceosinus dentatus on juniper, 18. 
Phylloxera rileyi, ref., 43. 

Pimpla inquisitor, parasite of CMsiocampa cali- 
fomica, 30. 
Pine-leaf scale-lou.se in Nebraska, 20. 
Platynus maculicoUis, ref., 26. 
Plum bark-louse in Missouri, 41. 
Polygonum, Tanj'mechus confertus on, 18. 
Prochosrodes nubilata on walnut trees, 23. 
Protective mimicry of Aplodes coniferaria, 55. 
Psyllobora 20-maculata in Oregon, 35. 
Pterostichus vicinus, ref., 26. 
Pyralis costalis in Iowa, 49. 

farinalis in Iowa, 49. 

Quercus agrifoUa, Clisiocampa califomica on, 29. 
Clisiocampa constricta on, 30. 
Tortrix citrana on, 24. 

Red-legged locust, increase of, 10. 
Ehizobius debilis numerous in California, 36. 

ventralis in California, 36. 
Rocky Mountain locust, not numerous, 14. 
Rubus vitifolius, Clisiocampa califomica on, 28. 



INDEX. 



59 



iSarcobntes vennicularis, Pezotettix chcuopouii 
on, 12. 

Scale-insecta on pine in Nebraska, 20. 

Schistocerca americana in Missouri, 37. 

Scolytus rugulosu.=» in Missouri, 40. 

Scymnus near tenebrosus, destroying hop-lice, 35. 
nebulosus destroying hop lice, 35. 

Selandria cerasi, parasitization of, 36. 

Sod web-worm in Iowa, 50. 

Solidago californica, Tortrix citrana on, 21. 

Span-worms on walnut tre^a in California, 23. 
remedies against, 24. 

Sporotrichum globuliferum, chinch -bug dis- 
ease, 20. 

Spruce worm in Maine, 53. 

Stalk-borer in Nebraska, 16. 

Sugar-beet insects in Nebraska, 18. 

Sulphurcted hydrogen as insecticide, 30. 

Syneta albida injuring fruit buds, 35. 

Tfeniocampa rufula in California, 25. 
Tanymecus confertus on sugar-beet, 18. 



Tent caterpillars in California, 27. 

Teras ferrugana on Betula pop uli folia, 55. 

hastiana on spruce, 50. 

minuta in Iowa nurseries, 51. 
Tortricid attacking currant, 35. 
Tortrix citrana, food-plants of, 24. 
parasites of, 24. 

fmiuferana in Maine, 53. 
Two-striped locust, increase of, 10. 

Uncinula spiralis, Psyllobora 20-maculata feeding 

on, 35. 
TJrtica holosericea. food-plant of Clisiocampa 

thoracica, 27. 

"Walnut span-worm in California, 22. 
Wheat-head army worm in Iowa, 50. 

in Nebraska, 15. 
"Willow, Tortrix citrana on, 24. 

Xanthium strumarium, food-plant of Tanymecus 
confertus, 18. 



I h Mr '08 



LIBRARY OF 



CONGRESS 




s: 



00028!i1| 



